Podiatry
/poʊ.diˈæ.tri/noun
The branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the foot.
Did you know?Podiatry was coined in the early 20th century by reshaping Greek roots, with pod- from pous/pod- meaning “foot” and -iatry from iatros meaning “healer,” so the word literally frames foot care as specialized healing.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ped-
“foot”
Ancient Greek
Greek
πούς (poús), ποδ- (pod-)
“foot”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἰατρός (iatrós)
“healer, physician”
19th Century
English
pod- + -iatry
“a learned formation meaning foot-healing”
Modern English
English
podiatry
“the medical treatment of foot disorders”