Hippocratic oath

noun

1. an oath embodying the duties and obligations of physicians, usually taken by those about to enter upon the practice of medicine.

Hippocratic oath

/ ˌhɪpəʊˈkrætɪk /

noun

1. an oath taken by a doctor to observe a code of medical ethics supposedly derived from that of Hippocrates

Hippocratic oath

1. A traditional oath of physicians, who pledge to practice medicine according to the ideals and moral principles put forth by Hippocrates .

Word History and Origins

Origin of Hippocratic oath¹

First recorded in 1740–50

Example Sentences

A frontrunner has to live by the Hippocratic Oath: first do no harm.

From The Daily Beast

The spirit of their practice cannot be better illustrated than by the words of the so-called ‘Hippocratic oath’.

From Project Gutenberg