Meaning & use
a neurologist
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountablemedical
A doctor who is trained to diagnose and treat diseases of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves.
Grammar: Countable: use 'a neurologist' for one, 'neurologists' for more than one.
Patterns
- see a neurologist
- be referred to a neurologist
- a neurologist examines someone
After months of headaches, she was sent to a neurologist.
A neurologist checked his reflexes and ordered a brain scan.
The neurologist explained that the tingling in her hands came from a pinched nerve.
Word forms
| plural | neurologists |
|---|
Common combinations
- see a neurologist
- If the dizziness continues, you should see a neurologist.
- be referred to a neurologist
- His family doctor referred him to a neurologist for tests.
- consult a neurologist
- They decided to consult a neurologist before starting treatment.
- a neurologist's office
- The neurologist's office called to move my appointment.
Synonyms and how they differ
- brain specialist
- A plain, everyday phrase; use it in conversation when the technical word might confuse people.
- neurosurgeon
- A surgeon who operates on the brain or nerves; a neurologist usually diagnoses and treats without surgery.
Word family
- neurology noun
- The medical study of the nervous system.
- neurological adjective
- Relating to the nerves or to neurology, as in a neurological disorder.
Commonly confused: a neurologist or neurosurgeon?
a neurologist vs neurosurgeon
Both work with the nervous system, but a neurosurgeon performs operations while a neurologist mainly examines, diagnoses, and prescribes treatment.
Practice
My father keeps losing feeling in his feet, so his doctor is sending him to ___ for tests.
Choose one answer.
Numbness in the feet points to nerves, so a neurologist is the right specialist. A dermatologist treats skin, a cardiologist the heart, and a pediatrician children.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a neurologist”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.