private practice

American

noun

the practice of one's profession as an independent rather than as an employee.

private practice British

noun

medical practice that is not part of the National Health Service

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

A graduate of Columbia University law school, he served as a lawyer in the US Army from 1957 to 1960 before entering private practice.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

In addition to having a private practice, she worked part time at Amae Health, a Los Angeles clinic providing mental health and psychiatric care, the outlet said.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026

Delrahim worked an initial stint as a Justice Department antitrust deputy from 2003 to 2005 before moving back to California to enter private practice.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 23, 2025

We haven’t been in touch for a while—you stayed in the Navy; I went into private practice after wrapping up my obligated service in the JAG Corps.

From Slate • Nov. 24, 2025

The Brigham was part of a “medical mall” that included a teaching hospital, a full-service hospital, secondary-care facilities, and numerous physicians in private practice.

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

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023