valetudinarian

American  

[val-i-tood-n-air-ee-uhn, -tyood-] / ˌvæl ɪˌtud nˈɛər i ən, -ˌtyud- /

noun

1. an invalid.

2. a person who is excessively concerned about their own poor health or ailments.

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adjective

1. in poor health; sickly; invalid.

2. excessively concerned about one's poor health or ailments.

3. of, relating to, or characterized by invalidism.

valetudinarian British  

/ ˌvælɪˈtjuːdɪnərɪ, ˌvælɪˌtjuːdɪˈnɛərɪən /

noun

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

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

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adjective

1. relating to, marked by, or resulting from poor health

2. being a valetudinarian

3. trying to return to a healthy state

Other Word Forms

• valetudinarianism noun

Etymology

Origin of valetudinarian

First recorded in 1695–1705; valetudinary + -an

Example Sentences

“There’s a class-based idea that anything too valetudinarian, too conspicuously hygienic, is middle-class,” he said, using a long word for being unduly anxious about one’s health.

From New York Times • Jul. 14, 2020

Paranoid about his health, this classic valetudinarian is really scared of dying alone and unloved.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 17, 2016

Up to now Mr. Law has supported his valetudinarian existence with calm resignation.

From Time Magazine Archive

With the air of an unwilling valetudinarian, Michigan's handsome, boot-jawed Governor Kim Sigler got up to speak before the Economics Club of Detroit.

From Time Magazine Archive

Old and gouty, we are confined to our chair; and occasionally, during an hour of rainless sunshine, are wheeled by female hands along the gravel-walks of our Policy, an unrepining and philosophical valetudinarian.

From Recreations of Christopher North, Volume I (of 2) by Wilson, John Lyde