# pediatrician

/ˌpidiəˈtɹɪʃən/ (US) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pediatrician
Updated: 2026-05-09

## Definition

a doctor who specializes in treating babies, children, and teenagers. You visit this person for your child's checkups or when they are sick.

For teachers: a medical practitioner specializing in the physical, emotional, and social health of infants, children, and adolescents. Often involves monitoring developmental milestones and administering vaccinations.

## Examples

- The pediatrician says the baby is growing well.
- After the fever lasted for two days, the parents decided to call their pediatrician for advice.
- While general practitioners treat patients of all ages, a pediatrician possesses specialized knowledge regarding the unique physiological and psychological needs of developing children.

## Pitfalls

- Not "the paediatrician of my son" but "my son's pediatrician" — In natural English, possessive forms are preferred over 'of' phrases when referring to a person's doctor.

## Usage notes

- Commonly used with the definite article when referring to a family's specific doctor.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.