physician

noun

phy·​si·​cian fə-ˈzi-shən 

plural physicians

1

: a person trained in the art of healing

specifically : a health care professional (such as a dermatologist, internist, pediatrician, or urologist) who has earned a medical degree, is clinically experienced, and is licensed to practice medicine as usually distinguished from surgery : a doctor of medicine or a doctor of osteopathic medicine

2

: someone or something that has a beneficial effect or influence

Do justice with mercy. That is what, in essence, the brilliant physician of the heart and soul, Maimonides, tried to teach us 900 years ago.

—Jack Weinstein

Synonyms

• croaker [slang]
• doc
• doctor
• medic
• medico
• sawbones [slang]

Examples of physician in a Sentence

you should always consult a physician if you develop a high fever

Recent Examples on the Web

What’s the statistic there, the average ER physician has to see a patient every three to four minutes? —Adam B. Vary, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025

What happens when a bride returning on a flight from her honeymoon – and who is a family medicine physician – starts to feel intense chest pain and nausea and an emergency room physician are on the same flight? —Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025

Compton-Phillips, who also reports to Joyner, was most recently chief physician executive of Press Ganey, a health care performance improvement company. —Bruce Japsen, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025

Now physicians need to revisit this disease — not as the success story of the past but to prepare for the next outbreak. —James M. Gaylor, Baltimore Sun, 7 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English phisicien, fisicien, from Anglo-French, from phisique medicine

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing physician

• family physician
• physician assistant
• physician-assisted suicide
• physician's assistant

Rhymes for physician

• addition
• admission
• ambition
• attrition
• audition
• clinician
• cognition
• coition
• commission
• condition
• contrition
• dentition

Kids Definition

physician

noun

phy·​si·​cian fə-ˈzish-ən 

: a specialist in healing human diseases

especially : one educated and licensed to practice medicine

Medical Definition

physician

noun

phy·​si·​cian fə-ˈzish-ən 

: a health-care professional who has earned a medical degree, is clinically experienced, and is licensed to practice medicine : a doctor of medicine or a doctor of osteopathic medicine