doctor

1. noun /ˈdɒk.tə,ˈdɑk.tɚ/

a) A person who has attained a doctorate, such as a Ph.D. or Th.D. or one of many other terminal degrees conferred by a college or university.

If you still feel unwell tomorrow, go see your doctor.

b) A physician; a member of the medical profession; one who is trained and licensed to heal the sick. The final examination and qualification may award a doctorate in which case the post-nominal letters are MD in the US or MBBS in the UK. <!Encyclopedic info: In the UK the qualifying exam is a first degree and the letters are MBBS or MBChB. (Usually refers to a general practitioner, as others are referred to by their specialties.)

Syn: doc, medic, physician, sawbones, surgeon, family doctor, general practitioner, GP, vet, veterinarian, veterinary, veterinary surgeon

See Also: D.A.O.M., D.A., D.Arch., D.A.S., D.B.A., D.Chem., D.C., D.C.L., D.C.J., D.C.S., D.Crim., D.M.D., D.D.S., Dr.DES., Ed.D., D.E.D., D.Eng., D.Env., D.E.Sc., Sc.D.E., D.F., D.F.A., D.G.S., D.H.L., D.H.S., D.I.T., S.J.D., D.L.S., D.M., D.M.A., A.Mus.D., D.M.E., D.Min., D.M.L., D.M.M., D.M.Sc., D.N.Sc., D.P.A., D.O., Pharm.D., Ph.D., D.P.E., D.P.T., D.P.M., Psy.D., D.P.H., D.P.S., D.R.E., D.Rec., D.R., D.Sc., Sc.D., D.Sc.D., D.Sc.H., D.Sc.V.M., D.S.M., D.S.Sc., D.S.W., J.C.D., L.Sc.D., Rh.D., S.T.D., D.Tech., Th.D., D.Univ, D.V.M., V.M.D, D.D., J.D., O.D., LL.D., D.Litt., M.D., D.Mus.

2. verb /ˈdɒk.tə,ˈdɑk.tɚ/

a) To act as a medical doctor to.

Her children doctored her back to health.

b) To make (someone) into an (academic) doctor.

They doctored their apple trees by vigorous pruning, and now the dwarfed trees are easier to pick.