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quack

quack

8.6
Not a real doctor who claims medical skills without training
  • adjective
  • /kwæk/
  • Offensive
translation icon : charlatán
  • Many people were misled by the quack doctor who promised miraculous cures with no real evidence.

Examples

  • The article warned readers about the dangers of following advice from quack health practitioners.

  • If there was one "good" thing about the UCSF manual, it was that it was a bit—shall we say?—reticent about promoting the quackier therapies.

    Blog text (8)
  • She realized too late that her friend's remedy was based on quack theories that had no scientific backing.

Synonyms

quackish
vsquack
9.3

Acting like a doctor when you are not

is an unqualified practitioner who falsely claims real medical knowledge
quacky
vsquack
9.3

Not based on science and often about fake medical treatments

refers to an unqualified person who falsely claims medical skills

Antonyms

304 3.0

Having the skills and experience needed for a job

4 4.0

Officially shown to have the required skills by a certificate

Compounds

quack doctor
  • Offensive
1 7.5

A person who pretends to be a doctor and gives fake medical treatments

quack-quack
  • Baby Talk
8.5

A word children use for a duck that copies its sound

8.8

A common weed with long stems under the ground that spreads quickly through lawns

How Qualified

expert
3 3.5
qualified
304 3.0
competent
114 3.6
inexperienced
66 3.4
quack
  • Offensive
8.6

Surface Forms

quack positive

Etymology

Quack as an adjective grew from the old sellers called quacksalver who sold 'salve' and bragged about cures, so calling someone quack means they are not a real doctor but only pretend to be one.