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

For “Task,” Jones asked her bashful but patient scene partner to redo one scene, an explosive fight Maeve has with Robbie, quite a few times, eager to get the perfect take.

From Los Angeles Times

Sal Grammatico, who said he has been active on the campus for 20 years, said housing is also needed for patients receiving treatment at the VA hospital.

From Los Angeles Times

And he spoke of a stage 4 lung cancer patient from Georgia who has been unable to quickly get a COVID-19 vaccine.

From Los Angeles Times

“It’s like prescribing medication with a co-pay that is too high for a patient to refill.”

From Los Angeles Times

Some patients have been wrongly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and even prescribed medication they don't need - and there could be more people affected say NHS England.

From BBC

Related Words

• calm 
• forgiving 
• gentle 
• quiet 
• tolerant