patient

American  

[pey-shuhnt] / ˈpeɪ ʃənt /

noun

1. a person who is under medical care or treatment.

   Synonyms:

   invalid

2. a person or thing that undergoes some action.

3. Archaic. a sufferer or victim.

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adjective

1. bearing provocation, annoyance, misfortune, delay, hardship, pain, etc., with fortitude and calm and without complaint, anger, or the like.

   Synonyms:

   calm, passive, resigned, long-suffering, uncomplaining

   Antonyms:

   hostile

2. characterized by or expressing such a quality.

   a patient smile.

   Synonyms:

   composed, self-possessed, unexcited, unruffled, serene, quiet

   Antonyms:

   agitated, impatient

3. quietly and steadily persevering or diligent, especially in detail or exactness.

   a patient worker.

   Synonyms:

   assiduous, sedulous

4. undergoing the action of another (agent ).

idioms

1. patient of,

   1. having or showing the capacity for endurance.

      a man patient of distractions.

   2. susceptible of.

      This statement is patient of criticism.

patient British  

/ ˈpeɪʃənt /

adjective

1. enduring trying circumstances with even temper

2. tolerant; understanding

3. capable of accepting delay with equanimity

4. persevering or diligent

   a patient worker

5. archaic admitting of a certain interpretation

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noun

1. a person who is receiving medical care

2. rare a person or thing that is the recipient of some action

Other Word Forms

• overpatient adjective
• patientless adjective
• patiently adverb
• patientness noun
• quasi-patient adjective
• quasi-patiently adverb
• superpatient adjective
• superpatiently adverb
• unpatient adjective
• unpatiently adverb

Etymology

Origin of patient

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English adjective and noun pacient, from Middle French, from Latin patient-, stem of patiēns, present participle of patī “to undergo, suffer, bear”; -ent

Example Sentences

Rob Messenger, from Carmarthenshire, campaigns on behalf of patients and carers after two of his children were diagnosed with ME in their teens.

From BBC

“Let a prescriber use her medical judgment to treat a patient.”

From The Wall Street Journal

It said that both Covid patients and those needing care for other conditions were failed, with people deterred from accessing healthcare in order to ease the pressure on NHS services.

From BBC

The key difference is that enlicitide is taken orally once a day, making it a simpler option for patients.

From Science Daily

Scientists still do not fully understand what controls a cancer cell's ability to metastasize, but answering this question is essential for improving patient care.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• calm
• forgiving
• gentle
• quiet
• tolerant