psychiatrist

/saɪˈkaɪətrɪst/

/saɪˈkaɪətrɪst/

Other forms: psychiatrists

A psychiatrist is a doctor who specializes in emotional, behavioral, or mental disorders. Sigmund Freud is the founder of the field of psychiatry, pioneering psychoanalytic treatment.

The noun psychiatrist has Greek roots in psykhe, meaning mind, and iatreia, meaning healing, so the word psychiatrist is literally one who heals the mind. As opposed to a psychologist, who also offers psychotherapy, a psychiatrist is a medical doctor and, as such, can prescribe medication for things like depression and anxiety.

Definitions of psychiatrist

1. noun

   a physician who specializes in psychiatry
   synonyms: head-shrinker, shrink

   examples:

   Karen Danielsen Horney

   United States psychiatrist (1885-1952)

   Karl Theodor Jaspers

   German psychiatrist (1883-1969)

   Charles Frederick Menninger

   United States psychiatrist who with his sons founded a famous psychiatric clinic in Topeka (1862-1953)

   Karl Augustus Menninger

   United States psychiatrist and son of Charles Menninger (1893-1990)

   William Claire Menninger

   United States psychiatrist and son of Charles Menninger (1899-1966)

   Harry Stack Sullivan

   United States psychiatrist (1892-1949)

   types:

   alienist

   a psychiatrist and specialist in the legal aspects of mental illness

   analyst, psychoanalyst

   a licensed practitioner of psychoanalysis

   type of:

   medical specialist, specialist

   someone who practices one branch of medicine