Doctor

Doctor - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)

(Luke 2:46; 5:17; Acts 5:34), a teacher. The Jewish doctors taught and disputed in synagogues, or wherever they could find an audience. Their disciples were allowed to propose to them questions. They assumed the office without any appointment to it. The doctors of the law were principally of the sect of the Pharisees. Schools were established after the destruction of Jerusalem at Babylon and Tiberias, in which academical degrees were conferred on those who passed a certain examination. Those of the school of Tiberias were called by the title "rabbi," and those of Babylon by that of "master."

Doctor - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

DOCTOR, n. [L., to teach.]

1. A teacher.

There stood up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law. Acts 5.

2. One who has passed all the degrees of a faculty, and is empowered to practice and teach it, as a doctor in divinity, in physic, in law; or according to modern usage, ad person who has received the highest degree in a faculty. The degree of doctor is conferred by universities and colleges, as an honorary mark of literary distinction. It is also conferred on physicians, as a professional degree.

3. A learned man; a man skilled in a profession; a man of erudition.

4. A physician; one whose occupation is to cure diseases.

5. The title, doctor, is given to certain fathers of the church whose opinions are received as authorities, and in the Greek church, it is given to a particular officer who interprets the scriptures.

Doctors Commons, the college of civilians in London.

DOCTOR, v.t. To apply medicines for the cure of diseases. [A popular use of this word, but not elegant.]

DOCTOR, v.i. To practice physic. [Not elegant.]

dok'-ter: (In Lu 2:46 didaskalos) "doctor" is equivalent to "teacher," which latter is the translation of the Revised Version (British and American). So in Lu 5:17; Ac 5:34, the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) "doctors," "doctor," of the law (nomodidaskalos). See EDUCATION; RABBI; SCRIBES.