médico
“médico” means “doctor” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
doctor
Also: physician
📝 In Action
Tengo una cita con el médico mañana.
A1I have an appointment with the doctor tomorrow.
Mi hermana quiere ser médico.
A2My sister wants to be a doctor.
El médico le recetó un antibiótico.
B1The doctor prescribed him an antibiotic.
medical
📝 In Action
Necesito un informe médico para el seguro.
B1I need a medical report for the insurance.
El equipo médico llegó rápidamente.
B2The medical team arrived quickly.
Recibió tratamiento médico de inmediato.
B1He received medical treatment immediately.
🔀 Commonly Confused With
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: médico
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'médico' correctly as an adjective?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'medicus', which meant 'physician' or 'healing'. It's related to the verb 'medērī', meaning 'to heal' or 'to cure'.
First recorded: around the 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'médico' and 'doctor'?
In everyday speech, they are often used interchangeably to mean 'doctor'. Technically, 'médico' refers to a physician who practices medicine, while 'doctor' can also be a title for someone with a doctorate (PhD) in any field. However, most people just use them both for medical doctors.
How do I make 'médico' plural?
To talk about more than one doctor, you add an '-s'. Use 'los médicos' for a group of male doctors or a mixed group, and 'las médicas' for a group of all-female doctors. The adjective form also becomes plural: 'informes médicos'.