doctor
She took her son to the doctor last night.
Someone who is trained to treat people who are ill
She took her son to the doctor last night.
Oxford Essential Dictionary
doctor
noun When you write 'Doctor' as part of a person's name the short form is Dr.
1 a person whose job is to make sick people well again:
Doctor Waters sees patients every morning.
speaking
When we talk about visiting the doctor, we say go to the doctor's: If you're feeling ill you should go to the doctor's.
2 a person who has the highest degree from a university
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
doctor
I. doc‧tor1 S1 W1 /ˈdɒktə $ ˈdɑːktər/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: doctour, from Latin doctor 'teacher', from docere 'to teach']
1. (written abbreviation Dr) someone who is trained to treat people who are ill ⇨ GP:
She was treated by her local doctor.
I’d like to make an appointment to see Dr Pugh.
the doctor’s informal (=the place where your doctor works)
‘Where’s Sandy today?’ ‘I think she’s at the doctor’s.’
2. someone who holds the highest level of degree given by a university ⇨ doctoral:
a Doctor of Law
3. be just what the doctor ordered informal to be exactly what someone needs or wants:
A 2–0 victory is just what the doctor ordered.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ go to the doctor I’d been having bad headaches so I went to the doctor.
▪ see a doctor (also visit a doctor American English) (=go to the doctor) Have you seen a doctor about it yet?
▪ ask a doctor (also consult a doctor formal) If you have any of these symptoms, you should consult a doctor.
▪ call a doctor (=telephone one, especially to ask them to come to you) His mother was very worried and called the doctor.
▪ get a doctor (=arrange for one to come to you) In the middle of the night we decided to get the doctor.
▪ a doctor examines somebody The doctor examined her and said she had a chest infection.
▪ a doctor prescribes something (=writes an order for medicine for someone) My doctor prescribed a course of antibiotics.
▪ a doctor diagnoses flu/depression etc (=says what illness someone has) The doctor diagnosed malaria.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + doctor
▪ a family doctor (=who treats all the members of a family) We’ve had the same family doctor for fifteen years.
▪ sb’s local doctor (=working near where you live) You should go and see your local doctor.
▪ a hospital doctor British English (=working in a hospital) Junior hospital doctors have to work very long hours.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ doctor someone who treats people who are ill, who has completed a long course of study at medical school: If you have bad chest pains, you should see a doctor.
▪ GP British English a doctor who is trained in general medicine and who treats the people who live in a local area: My GP told me that I must lose weight.
▪ physician /fəˈzɪʃən, fɪˈzɪʃən/ formal especially American English a doctor: the American physician, Dr James Tyler Kent
▪ quack informal someone who pretends to be a doctor: My father felt that people practicing alternative medicine were just a bunch of quacks.
▪ the medical profession doctors and nurses considered as a group: This view is widely accepted among the medical profession.
▪ surgeon /ˈsɜːdʒən $ ˈsɜːr-/ a doctor who does operations in a hospital: One of the world’s top heart surgeons performed the operation.
▪ specialist a doctor with special knowledge about a particular illness, part of the body, or type of treatment: The new drug is being tested by cancer specialists. | an eye specialist
▪ consultant British English a very senior doctor in a hospital, with a lot of knowledge about a particular area of medicine: The consultant said that he did not think it was cancer.
▪ paramedic someone who has been trained to treat sick or injured people, especially at the scene of an accident: Paramedics treated him for shock.
▪ vet (also veterinarian especially American English) a doctor who treats animals: We took the cat to the vet.
▪ paediatrician British English, pediatrician American English a doctor who treats children who are sick
▪ gynaecologist British English, gynecologist American English a doctor who treats medical conditions and illnesses that affect women’s bodies
▪ obstetrician a doctor who deals with the birth of children
▪ radiographer someone whose job is to take ↑X-rays or to treat people using an X-ray machine
■ a doctor who treats mental illness
▪ psychiatrist /saɪˈkaɪətrəst, saɪˈkaɪətrɪst $ sə-/ a doctor who is trained to treat people with mental illnesses: In order to become a psychiatrist, you first need a medical degree.
▪ psychologist /saɪˈkɒlədʒəst, saɪˈkɒlədʒɪst $ -ˈkɑː-/ a scientist who studies and is trained in ↑psychology (=the study of the mind): Many psychologists believe that aggression is a learned behaviour.
▪ shrink informal a humorous word for a ↑psychiatrist
▪ therapist a trained person whose job is to help people with their emotional problems, especially by talking to them and asking them to talk about their feelings
■ someone who is studying to be a doctor
▪ medical student a student who is studying medicine in order to be a doctor: James is a medical student at Edinburgh university.
▪ intern American English a student who has almost finished studying to be a doctor, and who is working in a hospital
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
doctor
doc·tor [doctor doctors doctored doctoring] noun, verb [ˈdɒktə(r)] [ˈdɑːktər]
noun (abbr. Dr)
1. a person who has been trained in medical science, whose job is to treat people who are ill/sick or injured
• You'd better see a doctor about that cough.
• Doctor Staples (= as a title/form of address)
2. doctor's a place where a doctor sees patients
• an appointment at the doctor's
3. a person who has received the highest university degree
• a Doctor of Philosophy/Law
• Doctor Franks (= as a title/form of address)
4. (especially NAmE) used as a title or form of address for a dentist
Word Origin:
Middle English (in the senses ‘learned person’ and ‘Doctor of the Church’): via Old French from Latin doctor ‘teacher’ (from docere ‘teach’).
Thesaurus:
doctor noun
1. C
• I think you should go to the doctor about that cough.
surgeon • • paramedic • • nurse • |BrE GP • |AmE internist • |informal medic • |especially AmE, formal physician •
see a doctor/the surgeon/a nurse/your GP/your internist/a medic/a physician
call a doctor/the paramedics/your GP/a medic/a physician
a doctor/paramedic/surgeon/GP/physician treats sb
a doctor/surgeon/GP/physician examines sb
2. doctor's C, usually sing. (especially spoken)
• I have an appointment at the doctor's tomorrow.
BrE surgery • • health centre • |AmE doctor's office • • clinic •
at the doctor's/surgery/health centre/doctor's office/clinic
Example Bank:
• He left the hospital against doctor's orders.
• The doctor advised me to rest.
• The doctor will see you now.
• We called the doctor immediately.
• Who is your family doctor?
• You should register with a doctor as soon as possible.
• doctors who practise from home
• Why won't he go to the doctor?
• You'd better see a doctor about that cough.
• a hospital doctor
Idiom: just what the doctor ordered
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
doctor (EDUCATION) /ˈdɒk.təʳ/ US /ˈdɑːk.tɚ/
noun [C] (WRITTEN ABBREVIATION Dr)
a person who has the highest degree from a college or university
doctoral /ˈdɒk.tər.əl/ US /ˈdɑːk.tɚ-/
adjective [before noun]
a doctoral dissertation
doctorate /ˈdɒk.tər.ət/ US /ˈdɑːk.tɚ-/
noun [C]
the highest degree from a university:
She has a doctorate in physics from Norwich.
doctor (MEDICINE) /ˈdɒk.təʳ/ US /ˈdɑːk.tɚ/
noun [C]
1 (WRITTEN ABBREVIATION Dr) a person with a medical degree whose job is to treat people who are ill or hurt:
The doctor prescribed some pills.
You should see a doctor about that cough.
[as form of address] Good morning, Doctor Smith/Doctor.
2 the doctor's the place where the doctor works:
He went to the doctor's this morning for a checkup.
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary
doctor
/dɒktə(r)/
(doctors, doctoring, doctored)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
A doctor is someone who is qualified in medicine and treats people who are ill.
Do not discontinue the treatment without consulting your doctor...
Doctor Paige will be here right after lunch to see her.
N-COUNT; N-TITLE; N-VOC
2.
A dentist or veterinarian can also be called doctor. (AM)
N-COUNT; N-TITLE; N-VOC
3.
The doctor’s is used to refer to the surgery or office where a doctor works.
I have an appointment at the doctors.
N-COUNT: usu sing, the N
4.
A doctor is someone who has been awarded the highest academic or honorary degree by a university.
He is a doctor of philosophy.
N-COUNT; N-TITLE
Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary
1doc·tor /ˈdɑːktɚ/ noun, pl -tors [count]
✦The abbreviation Dr. is usually used in writing when doctor is being used as a title for a specific person.
• I have an appointment with Dr. Brown.
1 a : a person who is skilled in the science of medicine : a person who is trained and licensed to treat sick and injured people
• I think you should see a doctor. [=physician]
• He needed medicine but refused to go to a doctor.
• a visit to the doctor's office = a doctor's visit
• She was under doctor's orders not to return to work.
• Most of her money goes to paying doctors' bills. [=bills for visits to doctors and medical treatment]
b the doctor or the doctor's : the place where a doctor works
• I saw her at the doctor's last week.
• How long will you be at the doctor?
2 US
a : a dentist - used chiefly as a title or as a form of address
• My dentist is Dr. Smith.
b : a person who is trained to treat sick and injured animals : veterinarian
• an animal doctor
- used chiefly as a title or as a form of address
• We took our dog to Dr. Jones.
3 : a person who has the highest degree (such as a PhD) given by a university
• Most of the faculty members at this college are doctors in their fields.
• a Doctor of Philosophy
• Dr. Smith, can you explain the exam requirements again?
just what the doctor ordered informal : exactly what is wanted or needed
• A day at the beach was just what the doctor ordered.
