# physician

/fəˈzɪʃən/ (US) · /fɪzˈɪʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/physician
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. a medical doctor

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a formal word for a doctor who is trained to treat people who are ill.

For teachers: a person qualified to practise medicine. While often used as a formal synonym for 'doctor', it specifically denotes a practitioner of internal medicine in professional hierarchies.

- You should consult your primary care physician if the pain continues for more than a week.
- The hospital's chief physician oversaw the diagnostic department, ensuring that every patient received a comprehensive evaluation before beginning treatment.

Usage: Often used in formal documents, insurance forms, and professional titles rather than in casual conversation.

Teaching tip: Learners often confuse this with 'physicist'. Remind them that 'physician' is for medicine and 'physicist' is for science.

## Examples

- The physician examines the patient carefully.
- After several tests, the primary care physician referred the patient to a specialist for further evaluation.
- The hospital's ethics committee includes a senior physician to ensure that clinical decisions align with both medical standards and the patient's long-term welfare.

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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.