primary care

noun

: health care provided by a medical professional (such as a general practitioner, pediatrician, or nurse) with whom a patient has initial contact and by whom the patient may be referred to a specialist
often used before another noun
a primary care physician

called also primary health care

compare secondary care, tertiary care

Examples of primary care in a Sentence

He provides primary care to inner-city patients.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Sleep problems Men can ask their primary care doctors to perform a blood test to check their testosterone levels, Munger advised. Shiv Sudhakar, FOXNews.com, 4 Oct. 2025 Of the 17,535 visits made to Maine Family Planning’s 18 health centers and mobile medical unit in 2024, 13% were for primary care services, Hill said. CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025 Her primary care doctor is there, too. Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2025 She was later referred by her primary care doctor in Columbia. Charlotte Observer, 2 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for primary care

Word History

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of primary care was in 1967

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Primary care.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/primary%20care. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

Medical Definition

primary care

noun
: health care provided by a medical professional (as a general practitioner or a pediatrician) with whom a patient has initial contact and by whom the patient may be referred to a specialist for further treatment
often used attributively
primary care physicians
primary care practice
primary care medicine

called also primary health care

compare secondary care, tertiary care
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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