podiatrist

[ puh-dahy-uh-trist, poh- ]

noun

1. a person qualified to diagnose and treat foot disorders.

Word History and Origins

Origin of podiatrist¹

First recorded in 1910–15; podiatr(y) + -ist

Example Sentences

Providers are defined as anyone in a long list that includes, in addition to physicians, naturopaths, chiropractors, podiatrists, pharmacists, nurses, and midwives—as long as their “scope of practice includes stem cell therapy.”

From Science Magazine

I chauffeured Wally to the grocery store or to the podiatrist for his favorite indulgence: monthly pedicures.

From Los Angeles Times

A: First, we would encourage him to see either a podiatrist or a dermatologist to rule out something serious, such as a bacterial infection.

From Seattle Times

For those who can’t — or would rather not — cut their own toenails, a podiatrist can provide both foot and toenail care.

From Washington Post

In that decadent metropolis, she seeks agricultural assistance from Gordy, a con man posing as a podiatrist she misconstrues as a “corn doctor.”

From New York Times

More About Podiatrist

What does podiatrist mean?

A podiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in treating the feet.

Podiatrists undergo specialized training to diagnose and treat issues with the foot, as well as connecting areas such as the ankle. They are sometimes called podiatric physicians or, when qualified to perform surgery for such problems, foot and ankle surgeons.

Example: I have an appointment with the podiatrist because my ankle doesn’t seem to be healing properly.

Where does podiatrist come from?

Podiatrist is a combination of the term podiatry, the branch of medicine involving care of the foot, and the suffix -ist, denoting someone who practices something. These terms come from the Greek prefix pod-, meaning “foot,” and the Greek root iātrós, meaning “physician.” The use of podiatrist was first recorded around 1910–15.

The Greek root pod- is related to ped-, a Latin root also meaning “foot” that gives us words such as pedal and centipede. This could lead to some confusion between podiatrist and pediatrist, which is an uncommon term for pediatrician (a physician who specializes in treating babies and children). But pediatrician comes from a different Greek root, paido-, meaning “child.”

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms of podiatrist?

• podiatry (noun)
• podiatric (adjective)

 

 

What are some words that share a root or word element with podiatrist?

• tripod
• cephalopod
• podium
• psychiatrist

What are some words that often get used in discussing podiatrist?

• foot
• physician

What are some words podiatrist may be commonly confused with?

• pediatrician

How is podiatrist used in real life?

Hopefully you won’t have to visit a podiatrist in your real life, but if you do, it’s probably because you’re experiencing a foot problem that is beyond the scope of what your primary physician is trained to treat. Athletes in particular are often in the care of podiatrists.

A podiatrist explains how running can be bad for your feet pic.twitter.com/uMs7ydnyQ3

— Business Insider (@businessinsider) October 24, 2019

He’s not gonna automatically be back after that foot injury. Ask any podiatrist. That doesn’t even factor in his second shoulder surgery. We still don’t know what that looks like.

— Aaron Pyne (@AaronPyne4) October 27, 2019

This 96 year-old patient is feeling good after his podiatry appointment today! This moment is why we do what we do. #dcfootdoctor #podiatry #podiatrist #footcare #happyfeet #dancingfeet pic.twitter.com/38vyyLa8m9

— Kevin Jefferson, DPM (@dcfootdoctor) October 25, 2019

 

 

Quiz yourself!

Which of the following injuries would a podiatrist be likely to treat?

A. A sprained ankle
B. A broken toe
C. Chronic foot pain
D. All of the above