patient

[pey-shuhnt]

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.

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 ).

patient

/ 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

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

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of patient¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of patient¹

C14: see _patience

Idioms and Phrases

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.

Example Sentences

The paramedic has been assaulted five times and verbally abused on countless occasions while treating and transferring patients.

Read more on BBC

"All attacks on health care must stop immediately and unconditionally. All patients, health personnel and health facilities must be protected under international humanitarian law. Ceasefire!" he said.

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Oak Street operated on a capitation basis under the Medicare Advantage program—which meant the bulk of its revenues were keyed off the number of enrolled Medicare patients, leaving it vulnerable to higher-than-expected expenses.

Read more on Barron's

What Mr. Murray doesn’t report is documentation of any objective indicator of intelligence in these patients, such as a neurological battery or a test of verifiable autobiographical details.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“Every contribution to Komen makes a meaningful difference in supporting patients, funding research and driving progress toward ending this disease,” she said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• calm 
• forgiving 
• gentle 
• quiet 
• tolerant