personal care: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Semi-formal to formal; commonly used in business, retail, healthcare, and everyday contexts.
Quick answer
What does “personal care” mean?
The act of maintaining one's own hygiene, health, and appearance.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The act of maintaining one's own hygiene, health, and appearance.
Products and services related to hygiene, grooming, and general bodily well-being; also refers to a category of consumer goods or an industry sector.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal lexical difference. 'Toiletries' is a slightly more common near-synonym in UK English for products, while 'personal care' is the dominant industry/business term in both varieties.
Connotations
In British English, may have a slightly more clinical or institutional connotation (e.g., 'personal care' in care homes). In American English, it has a strong commercial/retail connotation.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in American English due to prevalent marketing and retail categorization.
Grammar
How to Use “personal care” in a Sentence
N of N (care of the person)Adj + N (essential personal care)N + N (personal care products)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “personal care” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The personal-care assistant helped with her morning routine.
- She works in the personal-care sector.
American English
- They launched a new personal-care line at Target.
- Personal-care expenses are deductible in some cases.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to a multi-billion dollar industry encompassing products like soap, shampoo, deodorant, etc.
Academic
Used in sociology, marketing, and healthcare studies to discuss consumer behavior, well-being, or care provision.
Everyday
Refers to one's daily routine of washing, brushing teeth, etc., or the section in a supermarket.
Technical
In healthcare/social work, refers to assistance with basic activities like washing, dressing, and using the toilet.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “personal care”
- Using it as a countable noun (*'I bought three personal cares').
- Confusing with 'healthcare', which is broader and more medical.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a two-word noun phrase, often hyphenated when used attributively (e.g., personal-care products).
'Personal care' focuses on physical hygiene and grooming routines. 'Self-care' is broader, encompassing any activity done to maintain mental, emotional, and physical well-being, including relaxation and hobbies.
Yes, particularly in healthcare and social work contexts, where it means assistance with daily living activities like bathing, dressing, and toileting.
It is semi-formal. It is standard in business and professional contexts but is also perfectly understandable in everyday conversation.
The act of maintaining one's own hygiene, health, and appearance.
Personal care: in British English it is pronounced /ˈpɜː.sən.əl keə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈpɝː.sən.əl ker/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think PERSONAL + CARE = taking CARE of your PERSON (yourself).
Conceptual Metaphor
HEALTH/WELL-BEING IS CLEANLINESS; THE BODY IS A MACHINE THAT REQUIRES MAINTENANCE.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'personal care' LEAST likely to be used?