doctrix meaning (humorous): definition, etymology and quotations

doctrix

nounalso spelled Doctrix

Etymology From Middle English doctrice, from Latin doctrīx (“a female teacher”), feminine form of doctor (“a teacher”). The "female physician" sense is from the English doctor (which is from the Latin doctor) medical sense, analyzed as a feminine form of the English word. By surface analysis, doc(tor) + -trix.

Humorous, Obsolete, Rare A female doctor, chiefly a physician.

Secondly, There is a Doctrix, concerning whom I will relate unto you these most certain stories.[…]A sickly Rustick came unto her, complaining of a pain in his neck, and betwixt his shoulders. She affirmed his disease to be the Ripples in his neck, and essayed to cure him thus;[…]A Rustick woman came unto her, to get her advice concerning the Gravell, wherewith she was much troubled. The Doctrix gave her this advice, for causing the stone fall down into the neck of the bladder, You must stand leaning forwards with your two hands, upon the arms of a great chair, setting your feet far asunder; then let your Husband take a broad shovel, and give you four or five good clanks or strokes upon the buttocks with it.1664, Matthew Mackaile, Moffet-Well, or, A Topographico-Spagyricall Description of the Minerall Wells, at Moffet in Annandale of Scotland, Edinburgh: […] Robert Brown, pages 173–174:
One specialist asked her a grave question as to an eye case, another as to the brain, a third as to excision of the hip-joint, a fourth on tuberculosis, and so on. In ten minutes the doctrix had settled points that had taken those grave gray heads years to comprehend, and had fallen into as many pits.1878, Family Herald, page 412:

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Ace to Ten / Court Cards / Pages (notorious bobbies?) / Knights (famous doktors?^([sic])) / Queens (famous doctrices?) / Kings - "Bob" again. Obviously the king of sales, but also the king of pipes. Thus he appears three times, which is a sacred number. Connie should probably be Queen, or maybe King of saucers and squids for obvious reasons. Gotta strike a balance here somehow.2004 April 17, polar bear, “Nine.”, in alt.slack (Usenet), archived from the original on 04 Jan 2026:

Obsolete, Rare A female teacher.

Alice Driuer martyr. This was the doctrix of the forſaid weauer, who was ſo malepart and contumelious before the iudges, as firſt her eares were cutt of, for callinge Q. Mary Iezabell.1603, A Treatise of Three Conversions, page 11:
[…]—these are, therefore, advertising all who incline to be taught any manner of needle-work, washing, clear-starching, and many other parts of education, fit for accomplishing a gentlewoman, that they can have access to enter to the said Miss Eleanora Grant’s school in a fortnight hence, where they will be educate as above, and genteelly used by her and her doctrix.1750, “Eleanora Grant appointed by the Magistrates Schoolmistress of Aberdeen”, in Aberdeen Journal; republished as “Extracts from the Aberdeen Journal”, in Antiquarian Gleanings from Aberdeenshire Records, compiled by Gavin Turreff, Aberdeen: George & Robert King; […], 1859, page 243:

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Other items in the account are payments made to the Doctrix of the school, drink-money for the tailor’s men, sequins for head-suits, and a “baberick” or baldric (i.e., a chain for the neck).1907, Blackwood's Magazine, volume 182, page 68:

Related terms: Doctrix

Doctrix

noun

Etymology Learned borrowing from Latin doctrīx (“a female teacher”), the female equivalent of doctor, by analogy with English Doctor.

Rare The title of a female doctor, chiefly a physician.

Miss [Elizabeth] Blackwell had duly attended Lectures at the College, and received a formal diploma, under the title of “Domina,” which was the only feminine that the Senate could find for Doctor. […] For Doctrix Blackwell—that’s the way / To dub in rightful gender— / In her profession, ever may / Prosperity attend her!1849, “An M.D. in a Gown”, in Punch, or The London Charivari, volume XVI, London: […] Bradbury and Evans, […], →ISSN, →OCLC, page 226, column 2:
For I observe that at least two ladies (all honour and success to them, say I) have acquired the title of Doctor or Doctrix, and six more, I see, are at this moment engaged in dissecting the human subject at Edinburgh. […] Notoriously is this the case regarding the fair ‘Doctrixes,’ faith in whom appears to be ‘conspicuous by its absence’ amongst female patients.1875, Belgravia, volume 25, pages 478–479:

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Do you think Senator Grassley's profession staff investigators don't already know about redaction decryption? I don't think so either. He's just releasing the name of Mr. Redacted in a subtler, more deniable way than the way Senatrix Diane Feinstein released Doctrix Ford's name.2018 October 1, Mark Spahn, “Dispositive diaries”, in Not Honyaku (Google Groups), archived from the original on 05 Jan 2026:
Severin Schwan gave his speech sitting down, as he had undergone knee surgery just two days earlier. He strongly encouraged the new Doctors and Doctrices to define their upcoming tasks themselves and to take on new challenges with a pending mind.2024 November 18, “116 new Doctrices and Doctores medicinae and medicinae dentalis”, in Faculty of Medicine, University of Basel, Basel, archived from the original on 09 Dec 2024:

Lifestyle Rare, Slang A protagonist of the television series Doctor Who (called the Doctor) who is female.

> : Clavicle Squad deserve a mention, too. > > Oh? I'm partial to female clavicles. Then perhaps you can write stories about the Doctrixes... ;D1997 January 4, Allesandra I., “Dr Who paperbacks for sale”, in alt.drwho.creative (Usenet), archived from the original on 04 Jan 2026:
The Infinity Doctor rolled his eyes. 'Honestly... You'd think no-one ever read the comic strip any more... The doll-Doctor-' (the giant grimaced at this, but said nothing.) '-appeared in Endgame. That's the _strip_ Endgame, not the book. Clear? The others have all appeared in The Glorious Dead. And, as she said-' (he nodded at the Eighth Doctrix) '-it is a very long story...'2000 July 26, I. Inayat, “[TTR]: Infinite Eights”, in alt.drwho.creative (Usenet), archived from the original on 04 Jan 2026:

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Speaking about Doctrices, the show should have a run of Doctrices following the 1st Doctrix: […] The BBC should give us at least 8 consecutive Doctrices before returning to another Doctor and then have a similar run of Doctors, such as 5 which is the maximum number of fingers existent TetraPods have and like 8 is also a FibonacciNumber, before returning to a new run of Doctrices.2014 December 26, Walabio, “⸘Doctrix Whooves‽”, in FIMFiction, archived from the original on 05 Jan 2025:
Barbara O’Quinn was an English fan known for writing for a contemporary British fanzine named Tardis. She also wrote fan fictions about the ‘Doctrix’[,] a female version(s) of the Doctor. This was a little bit racy for its time, with allusions to John Nathan-Turner’s sexual orientation.2022 August 16, D[enis] G[eorge] Valdron, “1985 - THE HUES OF DOOM, (4 minutes, England, Animated, 6th Doctor, 5th Doctor)”, in A Pirate’s History of Doctor Who, 2nd edition, Winnipeg, Man.: Fossil Cove Press, →ISBN, chapter 6 (The Mid-80s, the Rise of Fandom), “Films” section, page 153:

Related terms: doctrix, doctress, physicianess