different between physicist vs physician

English

Etymology

From physics +? -ist. Coined by English polymath William Whewell in 1840 in his book The philosophy of the inductive sciences.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?f?z.?.s?st/

Noun

physicist (plural physicists)

1. A person whose occupation specializes in the science of physics, especially at a professional level.
2. (archaic) A believer in the theory that the fundamental phenomena of life are to be explained upon purely chemical and physical principles (opposed to vitalist).

Translations

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