# doctoral

/ˈdɑktɝəɫ/ (US) · /dˈɒktəɹəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/doctoral
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. academic degree

adjective · CEFR C1 · Academic

relating to a doctorate, the highest degree given by a university.

For teachers: relating to a doctorate or the process of obtaining the highest academic degree awarded by a university.

- She is currently writing her doctoral thesis on ancient history.
- The candidate successfully defended her doctoral dissertation before a committee of international experts in the field of molecular biology.

Usage: Usually placed before the noun it modifies, such as 'thesis', 'student', or 'program'.

### 2. medical

adjective · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

relating to a medical doctor or their work.

For teachers: pertaining to a physician or the practice of medicine.

- The hospital followed strict doctoral standards for patient care.
- The report highlighted several doctoral errors that occurred during the initial triage process at the rural clinic.

Teaching tip: This sense is much rarer than the academic one; in modern English, people almost always use 'medical' instead.

## Examples

- She is writing her doctoral thesis.
- The university offers several doctoral programs in science and engineering.
- Her doctoral research focused on the subtle changes in climate patterns over the last century.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.