orthopedic

adjective

or·​tho·​pe·​dic ˌȯr-thə-ˈpē-dik 

variants or less commonly orthopaedic

1

: of, relating to, or employed in orthopedics

an orthopedic surgeon

orthopedic shoes

2

: marked by or affected with a skeletal deformity, disorder, or injury

an orthopedic condition

people with orthopedic problems

orthopedically

ˌȯr-thə-ˈpē-di-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of orthopedic in a Sentence

She was wearing orthopedic shoes.

Recent Examples on the Web

Like Birkenstock, Scholl shoes are orthopedic, meaning the brand is committed to crafting footwear that not only complements various lifestyles but also promotes foot health. —Laia Farran Graves, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025

My chiropractor eventually referred me to an orthopedic doctor. —Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 May 2025

She was then taken to a local hospital, where X-rays were taken and sent to the orthopedic surgeon on call. —Jordan Greene, People.com, 14 May 2025

Those with the medical expertise to answer them won’t be made available any time soon, leaving baseball men to double as orthopedic specialists. —Chandler Rome, New York Times, 2 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

French orthopédique, from orthopédie orthopedics, from orth- + Greek paid-, pais child — more at few

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for orthopedic

• glycosidic
• orthopaedic
• comedic
• encyclopaedic
• encyclopedic

Kids Definition

orthopedic

adjective

or·​tho·​pe·​dic ˌȯr-thə-ˈpēd-ik 

1

: of, relating to, or used in orthopedics

2

: marked by or affected with skeletal deformity, disorder, or injury

Medical Definition

orthopedic

adjective

or·​tho·​pe·​dic

variants or chiefly British orthopaedic

ˌȯr-thə-ˈpēd-ik 

1

: of, relating to, or employed in orthopedics

orthopedic surgery

orthopedic casts

2

: marked by or affected with a deformity, disorder, or injury of the skeleton and associated structures

orthopedically adverb

or chiefly British orthopaedically

-ˈpēd-i-k(ə-)lē