different between physician vs gynaecologist

English

Alternative forms

• phisician (obsolete)
• phisitian (obsolete)
• physitian (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English fisicien, from Old French fisicïen (“physician”) (modern French physicien (“physicist”)), from fisique (“art of healing”), from Latin physica (“natural science”), from Ancient Greek ?????? ???????? (phusik? epist?m?, “knowledge of nature”), from ??????? (phusikós, “pertaining to nature”). Displaced native Middle English læche, leche, archaic Modern English leech "physician" (from Old English l??e (“physician, medical doctor”)).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /f??z???n/
• Hyphenation: phy?si?cian

Noun

physician (plural physicians)

1. A practitioner of physic, i.e. a specialist in internal medicine, especially as opposed to a surgeon; a practitioner who treats with medication rather than with surgery.

   • His forefathers had been, as a rule, professional men—physicians and lawyers; his grandfather died under the walls of Chapultepec Castle while twisting a tourniquet for a cursing dragoon; an uncle remained indefinitely at Malvern Hill; […].
2. A medical doctor trained in human medicine.
   • 1883, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island

     The doctor had to go to London for a physician to take charge of his practice […].

Usage notes

• In the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries, a physician holds a postgraduate degree such as Master of General Medicine or fellowship certificate such as MRCP or FRCP from the Royal College of Physicians in UK, or the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in Australia and New Zealand. Contrarily, in the United States, the term is frequently regulated by State laws, and in all States includes those with the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree (not to be confused with osteopaths), the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree, and in some States those with the D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic) degree (who are neither medical doctors nor part of allied health).

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:physician

Related terms

Translations

English

Alternative forms

• gynecologist (US), (Canada (common))

Noun

gynaecologist (plural gynaecologists)

1. (British spelling, Canadian spelling, dated in US) A physician who specialises in diseases of the female reproductive system.
   • 1950, Moya Woodside, Sterilization in North Carolina: A Sociological and Psychological Study, University of North Carolina Press, page 56,

     In the last analysis, the fate of each individual woman rests in the hands of the gynaecologist.

   • 1972, The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Volume 12, page 194,

     During the past 5 years considerable interest has been shown by gynaecologists in the technique of laparoscopy (Steptoe, 1967; Cohen, 1970).

   • 1995 October 31, Kenya National Assembly Official Record (Hansard), page 2287,

     Mr Shikuku: […] Was there any gynaecologist among those doctors?

     Mr. Angatia: Mr. Speaker, Sir, there was a gynaecologist and also a midwife.

   • 2009, India Today, Volume 34, Issues 36-43, page 592,

     With one of the highest birth rates across the world (22.69 births per thousand), one can be sure that no gynaecologist will be without work in India.

Synonyms

• gynie (diminutive)

Related terms

• gynaecology

Translations