physical therapist

noun

plural physical therapists
: a person licensed to practice physical therapy : a health care professional who provides therapy to preserve, enhance, or restore movement and physical function that are impaired or threatened by disease, injury, or disability
… a physical therapist can show you exercises to maintain strength and movement in the affected area and may also use transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation …Self Healing
While activity may worsen pain, activity directed by physical therapists, which may be done in therapy sessions and sometimes at home, provides some relief.Schenectady (New York) Daily Gazette
abbreviation PT

called also physiotherapist

Examples of physical therapist in a Sentence

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.
So finally: the swallowing of pride, an appointment with a physical therapist. Amy X. Wang, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2025 Of course, seeing an expert, like a physical therapist, is your best bet for determining the wisest way to address your knee pain. Jenny McCoy, SELF, 9 Jan. 2025 His work as a physical therapist dried up during the pandemic; then, in September of 2021, Izzy offered a suggestion. Rachel Monroe, The New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2024 Thompson is survived by his two sons and wife, Paulette Thompson, a physical therapist of over 20 years who graduated from the same college as her husband, according to her workplace bio. Donovan Slack, USA TODAY, 7 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for physical therapist 

Word History

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of physical therapist was in 1908

Dictionary Entries Near physical therapist

Cite this Entry

“Physical therapist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/physical%20therapist. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

physical therapist

noun
: a person who is a specialist in physical therapy

Medical Definition

physical therapist

noun
: a person licensed to practice physical therapy : a health-care professional who provides therapy to preserve, enhance, or restore movement and physical function that are impaired or threatened by disease, injury, or disability
abbreviation PT

called also physiotherapist

More from Merriam-Webster on physical therapist

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!