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

For example, a “stone box” for urology patients is packed with vegetables to help prevent kidney stones.

From Los Angeles Times

They didn’t, because patients and providers like having humans around to explain their medical images.

From The Wall Street Journal

One of the doctors had a female patient whose knees knocked loudly.

From Literature

In the late 1990s, neurologist Philip Kennedy developed the first BCI to allow a severely paralyzed patient to move a computer cursor using their brain.

From MarketWatch

Where “The Pitt” inspires awe at what these doctors achieve with a paucity of resources, time and patience, “Scrubs” lampoons the absurdity of a corporatized medical system steadily grinding down doctor and patient alike.

From Salon

Related Words

• calm
• forgiving
• gentle
• quiet
• tolerant