One would like to know what these practicers thought of their own arts.
c.1400, "to do, act;" early 15c., "to follow or employ; to carry on a profession," especially medicine, from Old French pratiser, practiser "to practice," alteration of practiquer, from Medieval Latin practicare "to do, perform, practice," from Late Latin practicus "practical," from Greek praktikos "practical" (see practical).
From early 15c. as "to perform repeatedly to acquire skill, to learn by repeated performance;" mid-15c. as "to perform, to work at, exercise." Related: Practiced; practicing.
early 15c., practise, "practical application," originally especially of medicine but also alchemy, education, etc.; from Old French pratiser, from Medieval Latin practicare (see practice (v.)). From early 15c. often assimilated in spelling to nouns in -ice. Also as practic, which survived in parallel into 19c.
practice prac·tice (prāk'tĭs)
v. prac·ticed, prac·tic·ing, prac·tic·es
To engage in the profession of medicine or one of the allied health professions. n.
The exercise of the profession of medicine.
The business of a practicing physician or group of physicians, including facilities and customary patients.