Podiatrist
/poʊˈdaɪ.ə.trɪst/noun
A medical specialist who diagnoses and treats conditions of the foot and ankle.
Did you know?The word comes from Greek roots meaning “foot” and “healing,” and the same foot-root also lives in surprising words like podium, tripod, and octopus.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
poús / pod-
“foot”
Ancient Greek
Greek
iatros
“healer, physician”
19th Century
English
podiatry
“the medical treatment of the feet”
Early 20th Century
English
podiatrist
“a specialist in foot treatment”
Modern English
English
podiatrist
“a doctor specializing in the care of feet and ankles”