pediatrician
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of pediatrician
First recorded in 1900–05; pediatric ( def. ) + -ian
Explanation
A pediatrician is a doctor who specializes in the care of children. When a sick child goes to visit the pediatrician, often there are toys and other things to play with in the waiting room. The word pediatrician has only been in use since the turn of the 20th century. Some people also use the word pediatrist to mean the same thing — a doctor who specializes in treating children ranging from newborn babies to adolescents. Pediatricians study pediatrics, both of which stem from a form of the Greek pais "children." The remainder of the word comes from the Greek iatros "healer."
Vocabulary lists containing pediatrician
Occupations
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Bronx Masquerade
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UCPS 6th Grade Roots List #2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Altman confesses that he considered consulting his pediatrician, but instead went to his app, asking ChatGPT if not being able to crawl at six months was normal.
From Salon • Jun. 28, 2026
“It would be foolish to tell a family that they don’t have access to the pediatrician or the family doc.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 26, 2026
Of his childhood, we learn only that he was raised in the suburbs of Washington, D.C.; his father was a lawyer, his mother an Army pediatrician.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
Jenni, a developmental pediatrician, explains that teenagers' natural sleep patterns prevent them from going to bed early enough to meet their sleep needs.
From Science Daily • Mar. 11, 2026
Maybe become a kindergarten teacher, or a pediatrician.
From "Bronx Masquerade" by Nikki Grimes
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
