practitioner

noun

prac·​ti·​tion·​er prak-ˈti-sh(ə-)nər How to pronounce practitioner (audio)
Synonyms of practitionernext
1
: one who practices or is regularly engaged in a skillful activity
a yoga practitioner
practitioners of the art of glassblowing
especially : one who practices a profession
a health care practitioner
legal practitioners
2
Christian Science : an authorized healer

Synonyms of practitioner

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Examples of practitioner in a Sentence

a French doctor who was once the most famous practitioner of natural childbirth
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In new programs, interactions with horses go beyond riding to meditation, yoga and therapy that practitioners say can help restore life balance. — Ondine Cohane, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2026 With Bosomworth and other practitioners pointing to estrogen’s role, expect fitness apps, wearables and recovery brands to roll out protocols that adjust temperature, duration and timing by menstrual-cycle phase. — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026 Emma Estrela, a Level 3 practitioner of the Wim Hof Method, told Women’s Health that gender alone shouldn’t dictate time or temperature, and anyone trying ice baths should listen to their body and adapt based on individual tolerance and goals. — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026 The health benefits of chair yoga Research on the physical benefits of seated chair yoga has found that practitioners tend to improve their functional fitness and experience a decrease in how much pain interferes with their daily life. — Jennifer Heimlich, Time, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for practitioner

Word History

Etymology

alteration of earlier practician, from Middle English (Scots) pratician, from Middle French practicien, from pratique practice

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of practitioner was in 1535

Phrases Containing practitioner

Rhymes for practitioner

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Browse Nearby Words

practicum
practitioner
prad
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Cite this Entry

“Practitioner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/practitioner. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

practitioner

noun
prac·​ti·​tio·​ner
prak-ˈtish-(ə-)nər
: a person who practices a profession and especially law or medicine

Medical Definition

practitioner

noun
prac·​ti·​tion·​er prak-ˈtish-(ə-)nər How to pronounce practitioner (audio)
: one who practices a profession and especially medicine

More from Merriam-Webster on practitioner

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about practitioner

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