pediatric

pediatric — adjective

1. the form used in American English for paediatric.

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

the form used in American English for paediatric.

Example

American hospital websites usually write pediatric, not paediatric.

American spelling contrast: pediatric / paediatric

The editor changed paediatric to pediatric for the New York brochure.

editing for a US audience

Common collocations
  • American spelling
  • pediatric care
  • pediatric not paediatric
Synonyms
  • paediatric

    same meaning; this is the standard spelling in British English and many other varieties

Grammar Patterns

pediatric (American English)

pediatric not paediatric

Usage Note

American variety only; British English and many other varieties usually spell this paediatric. In writing for an international audience, keep one spelling consistently instead of mixing the two forms.

Common Mistakes

The hospital kept the pediatric spelling in its London leaflet.
The hospital kept the paediatric spelling in its London leaflet.
British publications usually prefer 'paediatric'.

2. about the doctors, nurses, and treatment involved in caring for babies, children

2.adjectiveC1
Definition

about the doctors, nurses, and treatment involved in caring for babies, children, and young teenagers.

Example

The new hospital hired two pediatric nurses for the night shift.

pediatric + job title

A pediatric clinic opened next to the train station in Tainan.

attributive: pediatric clinic

Common collocations
  • pediatric care
  • pediatric clinic
  • pediatric nurse
  • pediatric patient
  • pediatric ward
Synonyms
  • paediatric

    same meaning; this is the usual British spelling

  • children's

    broader and more everyday; often used in names like 'children's hospital'

  • child-health

    more limited and often used in academic or policy contexts

Antonyms
  • adult

    relating to the medical treatment of grown people rather than children

Grammar Patterns

pediatric + noun

Usage Note

Usually placed before nouns such as 'doctor', 'nurse', 'clinic', 'care', 'patient', or 'ward'. In British English, the same meaning is normally written paediatric.

Common Mistakes

She works in a pediatrics ward.
She works in a pediatric ward.
'pediatrics' is the field, but 'pediatric' is the adjective before a noun.
My sister is a pediatric.
My sister is a pediatrician.
'pediatric' describes a doctor; it is not the noun for the person.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/2

Pediatric and paediatric have the same meaning; the difference is spelling. American English usually writes pediatric, while British English normally writes paediatric. Children's is broader and more everyday: a children's hospital is for children, but the word itself does not always sound medical. Neonatal is much narrower. It is only about newborn babies, especially in the first days or weeks of life, not older children. So a pediatric ward may care for babies, schoolchildren, and teenagers, while a neonatal unit treats only newborns. For example, an American doctor writes pediatric nurse, a British doctor writes paediatric nurse, and a hospital may have both a children's wing and a neonatal unit.

pediatric ↗paediatricchildren'sneonatal

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • pediatric care
  • pediatric clinic
  • pediatric ward
  • pediatric training course

Etymology

GreekEnglish

Pediatric is built from Greek parts meaning 'child' and 'medical treatment'. English later used these parts to form pediatrics for the branch of medicine about children's health, and pediatric for things connected with that field. The spelling paediatric keeps the older ae form that is common in British English, while American English usually shortens it to e.