valetudinarian
Americannoun
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an invalid.
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a person who is excessively concerned about their own poor health or ailments.
adjective
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in poor health; sickly; invalid.
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excessively concerned about one's poor health or ailments.
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of, relating to, or characterized by invalidism.
noun
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a person who is or believes himself to be chronically sick; invalid
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a person excessively worried about the state of his health; hypochondriac
adjective
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relating to, marked by, or resulting from poor health
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being a valetudinarian
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trying to return to a healthy state
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of valetudinarian
First recorded in 1695–1705; valetudinary + -an
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Declared white-haired Valetudinarian Evers gratefully: "That leaves me with no more worries."
From Time Magazine Archive
When I began to grow a Valetudinarian, and that my Wounds began to heel up, I had the Liberty to drink Loraine Beer, which is much celebrated in those Parts.
From Memoirs of Major Alexander Ramkins (1718) by Defoe, Daniel
The company again left the Valetudinarian for their social enjoyments; and not long after left Mrs. Blunt’s for their respective homes.
From Talkers With Illustrations by Bate, John
What state more pitiable to the eye of a man of robust health than that of the Confirmed Valetudinarian?
From The International Magazine, Volume 2, No. 2, January, 1851 by Various
The Valetudinarian is a man subject to some affliction, imaginary or real, or it may be both.
From Talkers With Illustrations by Bate, John
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
