pediatrician

American  

[pee-dee-uh-trish-uhn, ped-ee-] / ˌpi di əˈtrɪʃ ən, ˌpɛd i- /

Also pediatrist

noun

• pediatricians
  plural

1. a physician who specializes in pediatrics.

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pediatrician British  

/ ˌpiːdɪəˈtrɪʃən /

noun

1. the US spelling of paediatrician

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• pediatricians
  plural

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."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pediatrician pediatricians

“It might work, but we don’t know,” said Dr. Benny Joyner, a pediatrician and co-chair of the AHA’s pediatric basic life-support guidelines.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

Graham will face Democrat Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, in November’s general election.

From Slate ● Aug. 29, 2026

Chan said then that her work as a pediatrician, and at a Boston housing-project after-school program, had taught her that systems to help children are often siloed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026

Rebuilding trust is a complicated process, but it comes from consistent messaging at every level, from the pediatrician to local health departments to community leaders, city leadership, district leadership, religious leadership, educational leadership.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

“But my pediatrician said I probably won’t get any taller than five foot two.”

From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi

More than a dozen pediatricians interviewed by ProPublica said they strongly recommend all three of the typical newborn interventions but agreed that the vitamin K shot is the most vital.

From Salon ● May 7, 2026

The American Academy of Pediatrics called the order "historic and welcome," saying in a statement the changes had "sowed chaos and confusion for parents and pediatricians across the country."

From Barron's ● Mar. 16, 2026

The research team says health and mental health professionals, including pediatricians, family physicians, and social workers, should talk with young people about their use of pre-workout supplements.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 9, 2026

But microbiome researchers and pediatricians said that many of the products’ marketing is outpacing the science.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 3, 2026

The next afternoon Serena called me and said that a top group of radiologists, pediatricians, and cancer doctors had just spent an hour studying John’s X-rays, bone scans, and CT scans.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French