پزشک
pezeshk
physician
nounA2
Quick Reference
pe-ZESHK
physician
A2 — Elementary
پزشک pronounced by Elyar
What it means
پزشک (pezeshk) means “physician” or “medical doctor.” The word has Pahlavi roots and belongs to the formal/medical register. In everyday speech, Iranians say دکتر (doktor) instead.
How to use it
- پزشک عمومی (pezeshk-e omumi) “general practitioner”
- پزشک متخصص (pezeshk-e motakhasses) “specialist physician”
- به پزشک مراجعه کنید (be pezeshk morâje’e konid) “Consult a physician”
Common pairings and professional context
- پزشک خانواده (pezeshk-e khânevâde) “family doctor”
- پزشکی (pezeshki) “medicine (the field)”
- دانشکده پزشکی (dâneshkade-ye pezeshki) “medical school”
- نظام پزشکی (nezâm-e pezeshki) “Medical Council of Iran”
Cultural note
پزشک appears on prescriptions, hospital signage, and official documents, while doktor is what you actually say at the clinic. The distinction matters: a دانشجوی پزشکی is a medical student, but the friendly “doctor!” you call out in the waiting room is آقای دکتر (âghâ-ye doktor) or خانم دکتر (khânom-e doktor).
References
Actually learning Persian, not just looking up words?
ZabanYar is a Persian app built for heritage learners, the people who can speak a little but want to read, write, and really get it. Free early access at launch.
Join the waitlist →Cultural Context
پزشک appears on prescriptions, hospital signage, and official documents, while doktor is what you actually say at the clinic. The distinction matters: a دانشجوی پزشکی is a medical student, but the friendly "doctor!" you call out in the waiting room is آقای دکتر (âghâ-ye doktor) or خانم دکتر (khânom-e doktor).Connected Words