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 (opposed to 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”; see -ent

Explanation

You are patient if you don't get frustrated or annoyed when you have to wait or deal with difficulties. The band director may show patient leadership, but a football coach uses other methods with his team. It may be difficult to wait for something that takes a long time or deal with someone who is annoying, but if you are patient, you endure these things calmly and without frustration. Endure is the keyword here as patient comes from the Latin verb pati "to suffer, endure." Think of the patient way a chess player wins a game — calmly, steadily and willing to wait for the right time to act.

Example Sentences

Ed has since left the priesthood and married a kind and patient woman named Kathy.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026

The next step will be larger Phase III clinical trials designed to confirm the drug's safety and effectiveness in a broader patient population before regulators consider approval.

From Science Daily • May 27, 2026

The patient, medical missionary Peter Stafford, is responding well to treatment, the Charite Hospital in Berlin said Wednesday.

From Barron's • May 27, 2026

But as Dr. Neal ElAttrache examined Skubal, he quickly realized that this was the patient he’d been waiting for.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026

He was patient; that is, he considered himself patient.

From "Abel's Island" by William Steig

Related Words

• calm
• forgiving
• gentle
• quiet
• tolerant