practitioner

noun

prac·​ti·​tion·​er prak-ˈti-sh(ə-)nər 

1

: one who practices or is regularly engaged in a skillful activity

a yoga practitioner

practitioners of the art of glassblowing

especially : one who practices a profession

a health care practitioner

legal practitioners

2

Christian Science : an authorized healer

Synonyms of practitioner

• exponent
• interpreter

Examples of practitioner in a Sentence

a French doctor who was once the most famous practitioner of natural childbirth

Recent Examples on the Web

Midwife appears once, in a list of rural clinic practitioners. — Geri Stengel, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

After the executive order, a coalition of ibogaine practitioners had published an open letter warning of the risks of overharvesting the iboga plant and cutting out the Bwiti people of Gabon, who have used it ceremonially for generations. — Michelle Lhooq, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026

More to Explore Mindful of the cultural importance of orthodox Islam, Singaporean practitioners respond to religious authorities’ objections in various ways. — H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 7 Aug. 2026

Scholars and practitioners now advise Chinese entities on responding promptly to foreign litigation, avoiding default judgments, and presenting Chinese legal positions through expert testimony and amicus briefs. — Mark Jia, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

alteration of earlier practician, from Middle English (Scots) pratician, from Middle French practicien, from pratique practice

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing practitioner

• family practitioner
• general practitioner
• medical practitioner
• nurse practitioner

Rhymes for practitioner

• commissioner
• conditioner
• parishioner
• petitioner
• positioner
• missioner

Kids Definition

practitioner

noun

prac·​ti·​tio·​ner

prak-ˈtish-(ə-)nər

: a person who practices a profession and especially law or medicine

Medical Definition

practitioner

noun

prac·​ti·​tion·​er prak-ˈtish-(ə-)nər 

: one who practices a profession and especially medicine