THE MISUSE OF PhD

PhD simply means 'Doctor of Philosophy'. It is the highest university degree or one who has it. From the vantage point of semantics, it doesn't need the noun *holder* to collocate with it. 
Don't say/write: He is a PhD holder.
Say or write: He is a PhD. 

Saying someone is a PhD implies saying the said person is a 'Doctor of Philosophy'. Therefore, we should steer clear of including the noun *holder* However, it is incumbent upon me to apprise you of the fact that:
while *PhD* does not collocate with *holder*, it collocates with words such as student, thesis etc. As such, it is spot on to say or write: She's a *PhD student* Aberdeen University, Uk.

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