Being present at an event, or giving care and thought to something; in medicine, refers to a senior physician responsible for patient care.
From Latin 'attendere' meaning 'to stretch toward' or 'give heed to,' composed of 'ad' (toward) + 'tendere' (to stretch). The medical usage evolved from the idea of 'stretching toward' or focusing on patients.
The phrase 'attending physician' reflects the literal meaning of stretching one's attention toward patients. This same root gives us 'attention' and 'attentive,' all sharing the metaphor of mental or physical orientation toward something important.
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