Sawbones Meaning in English

word

US

ˈsɔˌboʊnz

SAW-bohnz

UK

sˈɔːbəʊnz

SAW-bohnz

Definition

An old-fashioned, informal, and sometimes humorous way to refer to a doctor or surgeon, especially from past centuries.

Usage & Nuances

Almost always used humorously or sarcastically today. Sounds old-fashioned or like pirate slang. Not appropriate for formal or modern medical contexts. Often used in stories set in the past or to jokingly refer to doctors.

• Spanish: matasanos (coloquial) - cirujano (antiguo/coloquial)
• Portuguese (BR): médico (informal) - barbeiro-cirurgião (histórico)
• Portuguese (PT): médico (informal) - cirurgião-barbeiro (histórico)
• Chinese (Simplified): 庸医（俚语） - 骨科医生（旧称）
• Chinese (Traditional): 庸醫（俚語） - 骨科醫生（舊稱）
• Hindi: नीम-हकीम (अनौपचारिक/पुराना डॉक्टर)
• Arabic: طبيب جراح (قديمة - عامية) - حكيم (ازدراء، عامية)
• Bengali: হাড়কাটা ডাক্তার - জল্লাদ ডাক্তার
• Russian: костоправ
• Japanese: ヤブ医者 - 骨切り医者
• Vietnamese: lang y - ông thầy thuốc (hài hước, cổ xưa)
• Korean: 뼈 자르는 의사 - 돌팔이 의사
• Turkish: çakma doktor - kasap doktor
• Urdu: قصاب ڈاکٹر
• Indonesian: dokter jagal - tukang bedah (zaman dulu)

Example Sentences

The old pirate called the doctor a sawbones.

basic

In old stories, a sawbones is the ship's doctor.

basic

The wounded man asked for the sawbones.

basic

Relax, the sawbones will patch you up in no time.

natural

Back in the day, every army had its own sawbones.

natural

My uncle jokes that his doctor is just a modern sawbones.

natural