What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Physician vs Actually - What's the difference?

physician | actually |

As a noun physician

is a practitioner of physic, ie a specialist in internal medicine, especially as opposed to a surgeon; a practitioner who treats with medication rather than with surgery.

As an adverb actually is

(modal) in act or in fact; really; in truth; positively.

physician

English

Alternative forms

* phisician (obsolete) * phisitian (obsolete) * physitian (obsolete)

Noun

(en noun) ("physician" on Wikipedia)
  • A practitioner of physic, i.e. a specialist in internal medicine, especially as opposed to a surgeon; a practitioner who treats with medication rather than with surgery.
  • *
  • *:His forefathers had been, as a rule, professional men—physicians and lawyers; his grandfather died under the walls of Chapultepec Castle while twisting a tourniquet for a cursing dragoon; an uncle remained indefinitely at Malvern Hill;.
  • A medical doctor trained in human medicine.
  • *1883 , (Robert Louis Stevenson), (Treasure Island)
  • *:The doctor had to go to London for a physician to take charge of his practice.

    • Usage notes

    * In the UK and (w) countries, a physician holds a postgraduate degree such Master of General Medicine or fellowship certificate such MRCP or FRCP from the Royal College of Physician in UK. In the United States, the term is frequently regulated by State laws, and in all States includes those with the (w) (D.O.) degree, the (Doctor of Medicine) (M.D.) degree, and in many, but not all States those with the D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic) degree.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Related terms

    * physicist * physical * physicalism * physics

    actually

    English

    Adverb

    (-)
  • (modal) In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively.
    • Actually , I had nothing to do with that incident.
  • (obsolete) actively
    • Neither actually nor passively. — Fuller.

    Alternative forms

    * actially (nonstandard)

    Usage notes

    * In some other languages a word of similar spelling means "now" or "currently"; (e.g., Portuguese "atualmente", Spanish "actualmente", French "actuellement", German "aktuell", Italian "attualmente", Czech ""). This leads many non-native speakers of English to use "actually" when they mean "now" or "currently". * Some commentators have: *
  • remarked upon the irony that this qualifier of veracity often introduces an utter lie;, page 3 and,
    • *
  • noted that in many cases, (term) functions as little more than a vacuous emphatic utterance.ibidem , page 4
    • * In practice, actually and its synonyms are often used to insinuate that the following is either unusual or contrary to a norm or preceding assumption, or to merely preface an overconfident opinion contrasting a previous statement or norm (as per 'vacuous emphasis' note above). : This is actually a really beautiful song. (contrasting opinion) : Actually , I'm not from France - I'm from Switzerland. (contrary from assumption) : At the check-out, the cashier actually greeted me for once. (contrary from norm)

    Synonyms

    * in reality * literally * really * truthfully

    References

    English modal adverbs English words suffixed with -ly