nurse practitioner

noun

: a registered nurse who is qualified through advanced training to assume some of the duties and responsibilities formerly assumed only by a physician

—abbreviation NP

Examples of nurse practitioner in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At the rally on Monday, Jennifer Lynch, a neonatal nurse practitioner who has worked at New York Presbyterian Hospital for 18 years, said her employer laid off 15 of her colleagues in 2025. —Sheetal Banchariya, New York Daily News, 12 Jan. 2026

None of the doctors, nurse practitioners or physician assistants were taking new patients. —Martha Bebinger, NPR, 9 Jan. 2026

Romance drama Virgin River centers on nurse practitioner Melinda Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge) who moves to the remote California town of Virgin River. —Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 7 Jan. 2026

But a graduate-level degree is needed for other nursing roles – including nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists and nurse midwives. —Kymberlee Montgomery, The Conversation, 7 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for nurse practitioner

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

Medical Definition

nurse practitioner

noun

: a registered nurse who through advanced training is qualified to assume some of the duties and responsibilities formerly assumed only by a physician

—abbreviation NP

called also nurse clinician