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.

---

pediatrician British  

/ ˌpiːdɪəˈtrɪʃən /

noun

1. the US spelling of paediatrician

---

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

Dr. Anna Morad, a pediatrician at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville, said she had witnessed a gradual rise in families refusing vitamin K leading up to the hospitalizations.

From Salon • May 7, 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

His mother, Sonia Gittens, took him to his pediatrician, who referred the boy to an eye doctor.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 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

My pediatrician did the same thing with his fingers when he was sitting behind his desk getting ready to tell my mother something about my allergies or what booster shots I needed.

From "It All Comes Down to This" by Karen English