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

Talking to your primary care doctor can also be a way to get more personalized sleep recommendations. —Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 14 Mar. 2025

Less than two years after that, Brewer and Walgreens parted ways as those primary care investments quickly soured. —The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2025

There wasn’t much doctors could do for me but give me pain medication and tell me to follow up with my primary care physician. —Katrina Martin, Health, 4 Mar. 2025

The sleep expert encourages those who have questions or concerns about their sleep habits to reach out to their primary care provider. —Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Feb. 2025

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