doctor

A person trained to treat people who are ill or injured.

• I need to see a doctor.
• The doctor checked my ears.
• Have you made an appointment with your doctor?

Similar words: physician

Common phrases: see a doctor, family doctor, doctor’s appointment, local doctor

A person who has earned the highest university degree in a subject.

• She is a doctor of philosophy.
• The university awarded him the title of doctor.
• As a doctor of history, she studies ancient cities.

How to use it: doctor of something (He is a doctor of education.)

Common phrases: doctor of philosophy, doctor of something, become a doctor

To treat someone who is ill or injured as a medical professional.

• She doctored the sick villagers.
• He spent years doctoring people in remote towns.
• Who will doctor the injured travelers?

Similar words: treat, care for

Common phrases: doctor someone, doctor the sick

To give someone the highest university degree and its title.

• The university doctored the young scholar.
• Several graduates were doctored at the ceremony.
• The college will doctor him in recognition of his research.

Similar words: award a doctorate to

Common phrases: doctor a scholar, doctor someone

To physically change a living thing to control how it grows or behaves.

• They doctored the trees to keep them small.
• The gardener doctored the young plants by cutting their roots.
• The farmer had doctored the animal to change its behavior.

Similar words: alter, modify

Common phrases: doctor apple trees, doctor an animal

To change the genes of a living thing.

• Scientists doctored the bacteria to produce a useful substance.
• The team is doctoring the crop’s genes.
• Can researchers doctor this species to resist disease?

Similar words: genetically modify

Common phrases: doctor a species, genetically doctor something