Meaning & use
OB-GYN
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountabletechnicalmedical
The branch of medicine that deals with pregnancy, childbirth, and the female reproductive system.
Grammar: Used as an uncountable noun for the specialty: She decided to specialize in OB-GYN.
Patterns
- specialize in OB-GYN
- practice OB-GYN
- an OB-GYN department
After medical school, he chose to specialize in OB-GYN.
The hospital's OB-GYN department handles hundreds of deliveries each year.
She is doing a residency in OB-GYN.
nouncountableinformalmedicalAmerican
A doctor who specializes in pregnancy, childbirth, and the female reproductive system.
Grammar: Countable when referring to a doctor: I have an appointment with my OB-GYN.
Patterns
- see an OB-GYN
- my OB-GYN
- an OB-GYN appointment
My OB-GYN recommended more frequent check-ups.
She found a new OB-GYN closer to her home.
The OB-GYN explained the procedure in detail.
Word forms
| plural | OB-GYNs |
|---|
Common combinations
- OB-GYN appointment
- I scheduled my OB-GYN appointment for next week.
- OB-GYN department
- The OB-GYN department is on the third floor.
- practice OB-GYN
- She has practiced OB-GYN for over twenty years.
- see an OB-GYN
- You should see an OB-GYN for regular check-ups.
Synonyms and how they differ
- obstetrician-gynecologist
- The full term is more formal and used in written or official contexts; OB-GYN is the common abbreviation.
Commonly confused: OB-GYN or OB?
OB-GYN vs OB
OB can be short for 'obstetrics' alone, while OB-GYN includes gynecology as well.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'OB-GYN' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'OB-GYN' refers to a medical specialty or a doctor in that field, so 'become an OB-GYN' is correct. The other options misuse the term as a place to shop, a vehicle, or a verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “OB-GYN”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.