doctress
Definition
- Noun:
- A female doctor: "doctress" is an archaic or historical term for a woman who is a physician or a medical practitioner.
- A female holder of a doctorate: It can also refer to a woman who has earned a doctoral degree (e.g., a PhD), though this usage is rare and dated.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- In the 19th century, a doctress was a rare figure in the medical field. (A female doctor was unusual at that time.)
- She was known as the village doctress, treating ailments with herbal remedies. (A woman who practiced medicine in a rural community.)
Advanced Usage
- "Doctress" as a historical term: The word was used in the 17th–19th centuries to distinguish female medical practitioners from their male counterparts, but it fell out of common use as the term "doctor" became gender-neutral.
- The term "doctress" appears in old medical records but is now considered obsolete. (It is no longer standard in modern English.)
Variants and Related Words
- Doctor (n): a person qualified to practice medicine or hold a doctoral degree.
- The doctor examined the patient thoroughly. (A medical professional, regardless of gender.)
- Doctrix (n): a rare variant spelling of "doctress," also meaning a female doctor.
- The historical text referred to her as a "doctrix" of philosophy. (A female scholar with a doctorate.)
Synonyms
- Female physician: a woman who practices medicine.
- Many female physicians today lead hospital departments. (A modern, gender-specific term.)
- Lady doctor: an older, informal term for a female doctor.
- The lady doctor was known for her gentle bedside manner. (A now-dated synonym.)
Related Idioms
- "To play the doctress" (historical): to act as a female medical practitioner, often in an unofficial capacity.
- She played the doctress for her family, using folk remedies. (She provided informal medical care.)