What does pediatrist mean?
A pediatrician is a doctor who specializes in the health and medical treatment of children and adolescents. The role includes diagnosing illnesses, prescribing medication, giving vaccinations, advising parents about development and nutrition, and providing preventive care. In American English, the word is commonly used for doctors who treat babies, children, and teenagers, although the term technically encompasses care through adolescence. British English generally uses the spelling paediatrician. The word comes from the same Greek roots as pediatrics and pediatric, combining ideas associated with children and physicians. Although people commonly use the word for a child's regular doctor, a pediatrician may work in a hospital, clinic, private practice, or a specialist area such as neonatal care or pediatric emergency medicine.
nounA medical doctor who specializes in the care of children and adolescents, including the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses and conditions affecting young people.
- A physician who specializes in the medical care of children and adolescents.
"She took her son to the pediatrician because he had a persistent fever."
"The pediatrician explained the vaccination schedule to the parents."
"Her training as a pediatrician includes emergency medicine, preventive care, and the treatment of childhood diseases."
The standard plural form refers to two or more pediatricians.
"The pediatricians consulted with the family about the child's treatment."
The word pediatrician literally means 'child physician,' from Greek roots for 'child' and 'healer,' and its British spelling, paediatrician, preserves the same Greek elements in a more traditional form.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pediatrist come from?
The word derives from the Greek roots pais or paid-, meaning 'child,' and iatros, meaning 'physician' or 'healer.' It developed within the medical term pediatrics, the branch of medicine concerned with children, through the suffix -ician, denoting a professional specialist. British English retains the spelling paediatrician, reflecting a different historical treatment of the vowels in the Greek-derived element.
How pediatrist is actually used
Pediatrician is the usual term in American English. British English commonly uses paediatrician, while pediatrist is a less frequent alternative in both varieties.