general practitioner

noun

: a physician or veterinarian whose practice is not limited to a specialty

broadly : generalist

Examples of general practitioner in a Sentence

Our family doctor is a general practitioner.

Recent Examples on the Web

Doctors stabilized her and scheduled her for an appointment with a general practitioner the next day. —Danielle Battaglia, Charlotte Observer, 24 June 2025

Part of that, yes, is the fact that a big-time New York City neurosurgeon becoming a general practitioner in small town Everwood, Colorado, means Andy can instantly and intimately interact and oftentimes clash with his new neighbors. —Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2025

The inhabitants include a grocer, a travel agent, a general practitioner, a mayor. —James Wood, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025

Lowe went to his general practitioner at the time, who recommended a colonoscopy. —Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1810, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for general practitioner

• commissioner
• conditioner
• parishioner
• petitioner
• positioner
• missioner

Kids Definition

general practitioner

noun

: a physician or veterinarian whose practice is not limited to a specialty

Medical Definition

general practitioner

noun

: a physician or veterinarian whose practice is not limited to a specialty

Dr. Thomas, Sr., could carry virtually the full armamentarium of the medicine of his day in a single black bag, and very nearly all of medical knowledge in his head. Today the general practitioner is a vanishing breed, and specialists cannot use their time effectively traveling from patient to patient.

—John Steele Gordon, American Heritage

The primary-care doctor is gaining new respect in Washington. Battles may be breaking out left and right over the various health-care bills emerging from Congress, but reformers on both sides agree that general practitioners should be given a central role in uniting the fragmented U.S. medical system.

—Catherine Arnst, Business Week