What does pedicurist mean?
A pedicurist is a professional who provides pedicures, the grooming and routine care of the feet and toenails. The work commonly includes trimming and shaping toenails, softening cuticles, removing dead skin, and sometimes applying polish or providing basic foot treatments. Visiting a pedicurist can be part of personal grooming, while the professional is also sometimes described as a toenail technician or foot-care specialist. The term is distinct from manicurist, whose work focuses primarily on the hands and fingernails. Pedicurists may work in salons, spas, beauty studios, or their own businesses, and some have additional training in foot health and nail conditions. The word is useful because it names a specific professional role within the wider field of personal care.
nounA person who provides pedicures, especially by trimming and grooming the toenails and treating minor foot-care problems. The term is commonly used in the context of professional nail and foot-care services.
- A person who performs pedicures or provides professional foot and toenail care.
"She visits a pedicurist every few weeks to keep her toenails neat and healthy."
"The pedicurist examined her toenails and recommended a shorter appointment."
"He trained as a pedicurist and now runs a small foot-care studio."
The regular plural is used when referring to more than one person who provides pedicures.
"The salon employs three pedicurists and two manicurists."
A pedicurist is to the feet what a manicurist is to the hands, but the word is also a reminder that basic foot care can be a professional service.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pedicurist come from?
The word pedicurist combines the French noun pedicure, meaning the care of the feet, with the suffix -ist, denoting a person who practises a profession. Pedicure itself comes through French from Latin, where pedicura combines ped-, associated with the foot, and cura, meaning care. The same broad root is reflected in related medical terms such as podiatry and podiatrist.
Related word forms
How pedicurist is actually used
Usually refers to someone who provides professional pedicure services. In informal contexts, the term can be shortened to “pedicurist” when no further clarification is needed.
Easily confused with pedicurist
A manicurist primarily cares for the fingernails, while a pedicurist primarily cares for the toenails and feet.