doctor

/ˈdäk-tər/

Middle English doctour teacher, doctor, from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin doctor, from Latin, teacher, from docēre to teach

noun

  1. an eminent theologian declared a sound expounder of doctrine by the Roman Catholic Church —called also doctor of the church

  2. a learned or authoritative teacher

  3. a person who has earned one of the highest academic degrees (such as a PhD) conferred by a university

verb

  1. to give medical treatment to

  2. to restore to good condition : repair

  3. to adapt or modify for a desired end by alteration or special treatment

doctored her ailing husband

doctor an old clock

noun

  1. a physician who has earned a degree in medicine and specifically allopathic medicine; also : an academic graduate degree conferring the rank or title of doctor of medicine —abbreviation MD, M.D.

For years, doctors of osteopathic medicine have been growing in number alongside the better-known doctors of medicine, who are sometimes called allopathic doctors and use the M.D. after their names.