▪ I. medic, a.1 and n.1
(ˈmɛdɪk)
(See also medics.)
[ad. L. medic-us adj. and n., f. root of medērī to heal. Cf. OF. medique n., physician, Sp. médico, Pg., It. medico adj. and n.]
A. adj. = medical. Only poet.
| 1700 Pomfret Reason 84 Should untun'd Nature crave the Medic Art, What Health can that contentious Tribe impart? 1769 Poetry in Ann. Reg. 242 Order Drops, ye Medic Dunces, Order Scruples, Drams, and Ounces. 1873 W. S. Mayo Never Again xxxii. 417 Thy medic touch becalms my throbbing brow. |
B. n. A physician, ‘medical man’; a medical student.
| 1659 T. Pecke Parnassi Puerp. 16 The Medic heals the Body. 1661 Blount Glossogr. (ed. 2), Medick, a Physitian. 1694 Motteux Rabelais v. (1737) 232 Your Medic's Friend. 1696 J. Edwards Exist. & Provid. God ii. 136 This author..was most bitter..not only against physicians, but all medicks. 1823 The Crayon (Yale Coll.) 23 (Farmer) Who sent The medic to our aid! 1851 B. H. Hall College Words 198 Med, Medic, a name sometimes given to a student in medicine. 1885 B. G. Wilder in Jrnl. Nervous Dis. XII. 281 Medic is the legitimate paronym of medicus, but is commonly regarded as slang. 1895 W. C. Gore in Inlander Nov. 64 Medic, a student in the medical department. 1902 W. W. Hall Appl. Relig. i. 22 For ages medics have been laying down rules for the regimen of diseased people. 1925 Fraser & Gibbons Soldier & Sailor Words 154 The Medics, R.A.M.C. [Royal Army Medical Corps]. 1945 Finito! Po Valley Campaign 61 (caption) Our medics treat German wounded. 1968 Mrs. L. B. Johnson White House Diary 17 Jan. (1970) 618 He was a Medic and, although twice wounded, he had gone on..to save life after life, crawling across the battlefield. 1970 Oxford Mail 21 Feb. 12/3 (heading) The ‘medics’ are fast movers. 1973 Black Panther 3 Mar. 6/2, I was a member of the U.S. Army from 1967 to 1970. During the Tet offensive of 1968, I served as a combat medic with the 101 ABN. Div. at Hue, South Vietnam. 1974 Evening Standard 1 Mar. 48/3 Dr Brian Warren, Mr Heath's personal physician, called to see him at Downing Street—but as a friend, not as a medic. |
▪ II. medic
var. form of medick.