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

Not all individuals have equal access to health care or primary care physicians. —A.j. Russo, Baltimore Sun, 12 Jan. 2026

MacDonald had received a letter from MGB, telling her no primary care providers in the network were currently taking new patients for in-person care. —Martha Bebinger, NPR, 9 Jan. 2026

Polk County Health Department spokesperson Addie Olson said people with general respiratory symptoms should visit their primary care doctor or urgent care. —Phillip Sitter, Des Moines Register, 8 Jan. 2026

Naltrexone is available with a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider, such as a primary care doctor, addiction medicine specialist or psychiatrist. —Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 7 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for primary care

• concessionaire
• abwehr
• affair
• affaire
• airfare
• altair
• armchair
• aware
• beware
• bugbear
• carfare
• childcare

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