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podiatrist

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

noun

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


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Word History and Origins

Origin of podiatrist1

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

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Example Sentences

Physical therapists and podiatrists warn that the shoes not only enhance performance but also magnify imbalances and alter stride mechanics, introducing new stresses.

More serious conditions are often treated with custom-molded insoles prescribed by podiatrists.

Is this a one-off or is Brown working the fake podiatrist long-con?

Murray said he got a podiatrist to come to the house to help.

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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?

 

 

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

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

What are some words podiatrist may be commonly confused with?

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.

 

 

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

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