valetudinarian

[ val-i-tood-n-air-ee-uh n, -tyood- ]

/ ˌvæl ɪˌtud nˈɛər i ən, -ˌtyud- /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR valetudinarian ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

an invalid.

a person who is excessively concerned about his or her poor health or ailments.

adjective

in poor health; sickly; invalid.

excessively concerned about one's poor health or ailments.

of, relating to, or characterized by invalidism.

RELATED WORDS

neurotic, valetudinary

Nearby words

Origin of valetudinarian

First recorded in 1695–1705; valetudinary + -an

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for valetudinarian

He was at once a valetudinarian and a voluptuary; and, in both characters, he loved his ease.
The History of England from the Accession of James II.|Thomas Babington Macaulay
Sat like a valetudinarian in the Park all day getting fresh air—among the imbeciles, invalids, and children.
The Journal of a Disappointed Man|Wilhelm Nero Pilate Barbellion
He has been justly, though perhaps harshly, described as a "valetudinarian Grandison."
Diderot and the Encyclopaedists (Vol 1 of 2)|John Morley
"Which is certainly not suggestive of a valetudinarian," remarked Lucian, looking hard at the stranger.
Cashel Byron's Profession|George Bernard Shaw

No valetudinarian was ever more unpleasantly jostled out of his self-compassion.
The Journal of a Disappointed Man|Wilhelm Nero Pilate Barbellion

British Dictionary definitions for valetudinarian

valetudinarian

valetudinary (ˌvælɪˈtjuːdɪnərɪ)

/ (ˌvælɪˌtjuːdɪˈnɛərɪən) /

noun plural -narians or -naries

a person who is or believes himself to be chronically sick; invalid

a person excessively worried about the state of his health; hypochondriac

adjective

relating to, marked by, or resulting from poor health

being a valetudinarian

trying to return to a healthy state

Derived Formsvaletudinarianism, noun

Word Origin for valetudinarian

C18: from Latin valētūdō state of health, from valēre to be well

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for valetudinarian

valetudinarian

"one who is constantly concerned with his own ailments," 1703, from valetudinary (1580s), from Latin valetudinarius, from valetudo "state of health," from valere "be strong" (see valiant) + -tudo, abstract noun suffix (see -tude). Valetudinary (adj.) "sickly" is recorded from 1580s.

Medicine definitions for valetudinarian

valetudinarian

[ văl′ĭ-tōōd′n-âr′ē-ən ]

n.

A sickly or weak person, especially one who is constantly and morbidly concerned with his or her health.

adj.

Chronically ailing; sickly.

Constantly and morbidly concerned with one's health.