locumn.
/ˈləʊkəm/, U.S. /ˈloʊkəm/ 1. A person, esp. a cleric or doctor, who stands in temporarily for another of the same profession; a deputy, substitute; (now) spec. a medical practitioner employed to fill in temporarily for another who is absent; = locum tenens n. 1a.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > healer > physician > [noun] > locum
locum tenent1714
locum1885
society > authority > delegated authority > one having delegated or derived authority > [noun] > deputy or substitute > temporary
supply1584
locum tenens1640
locum1885
1885 Lancet 7 Mar. 51/1 (advt.) Practice that till lately has yielded about £800 per annum, let down through ill-health, and now doing £400 in hands of Locum.
1901 Scotsman 11 Mar. 8/8 Acting..as ‘locum’ in Darlington place Church, Ayr (during the severe illness of the minister).
1974 B. Emecheta Second Class Citizen v. 59 The Indian doctor with whom Francis and Adah had registered was too busy to come and the big bald fellow in black three-piece suit was his locum.
2000 Independent (Nexis) 14 June 4 After the review, the hospital stopped using him as a locum.
2. A position as a locum or temporary substitute medical practitioner; = locum tenency n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > healer > physician > [noun] > locum > position of
locum tenens1755
locum1891
1891 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 26 Dec. 68/3 (advt.) Wanted by L.R.C.P. Lond., M.R.C.S Eng., Locum or good Assistantship.
1903 Lancet 9 May 101/2 (advt.) Hospital Locum wanted..for three weeks or less.
1946 Lancet 2 Mar. 322/2 When doing a locum I attended a family of actors.
2002 Cheshire Life Aug. 13 Although he sold the chemists he still does locums there for the new owner.
Compounds
General attributive.
ΚΠ
1889 Guy's Hosp. Gaz. 16 Feb. 53/2 (advt.) A Guy's Man with experience, is willing to enter into negotiations with Practitioners with a view to filling up the year with locum work.
1939 Times 21 July 1/3 (advt.) Experienced Masseuse would take locum work, London.
1959 Times 19 June 1/3 (advt.) Junior Hospital medical officer (anaesthetics) required immediately. Permanent or locum post available.
1992 Independent 4 Nov. 7/8 Mr Lancaster has retired from the school to concentrate on research and development—and to do regular locum vicaring.
2008 Science 26 Sept. 1742/1 Helen Pickersgill is a locum editor in Science's editorial department.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2015; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.1885