Bedoctor

/bɪˈdɑːktər/ verb

Definition

To treat with medical care in bed; to doctor or nurse someone while they are bedridden.

Etymology

Prefix 'be-' (causative, from Old English) combined with 'doctor' (from Latin 'docere', to teach). The 'be-' prefix transforms the noun into a verb meaning to apply the action of doctoring.

Kelly Says

The 'be-' prefix is an ancient tool for verb-creation that's mostly faded from everyday English, but it survives in words like 'befriend' and 'bedoctor'—making someone into a doctor figure.

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