optician
UK[ɒpˈtɪʃ.ən]US[ɑːpˈtɪʃ.ən]
n
A person who is qualified to make and supply eyeglasses and contact lenses for correcting vision, as prescribed by an optometrist or ophthalmologist.
n
(chiefly British) A person who sells eyeglasses, contact lenses, and other optical instruments.
Morpheme Breakdown
optic
ian
optic
sight
ian
person specializing in
Etymology
The word 'optician' is a relatively modern English formation, built from classical components. Its core, 'optic', descends from the Greek optikos, meaning "of or for sight," which itself is derived from ops (eye, face) and the adjectival suffix -tikos. This Greek term passed into Latin as opticus and entered English to describe matters relating to vision. The suffix '-ian', of Latin origin, denotes a person associated with a specific skill or field. Therefore, an optician is literally "a person concerned with sight," a meaning that crystallized in the 17th century to specify a maker and seller of corrective lenses, distinguishing the trade from the medical science of optometry.
Analysis
Structure: optic (sight) + ian (person specializing in)
- optic: From Greek optikos ("of or for sight"), via Latin opticus. In this word, it functions as the root conveying the core meaning related to vision or sight.
- ian: A suffix of Latin origin (-ianus), used to form nouns meaning "a person who specializes in or is concerned with" something. It indicates the professional role.
Examples
I need to visit the optician to have my new glasses adjusted.
The optician carefully explained the different lens coatings available.
She trained for several years to become a fully qualified dispensing optician.