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

Derived Forms

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

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

That emphasis on patient choice is what motivated Kakaiya to develop a better way to train clinicians to perform paracervical blocks.

From Slate • Jun. 7, 2026

The problem for Bolivia was not the heat that mother nature was inflicting on them - it was the heat they were getting from Scotland, who were patient, precise and clinical.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026

That is giving many fans lucky and patient enough to be Knicks season-ticket holders an option between living New York glory or cashing in big.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

Even though the federal government mandates coverage of preventive colonoscopies and stool tests at no cost to the patient, money can still be a reason why people put off getting screened.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 4, 2026

He gives strict orders that his patient is to remain in that position.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman

Related Words

• calm
• forgiving
• gentle
• quiet
• tolerant