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: uncomplaining, calm, passive, resigned, long-suffering

   Antonyms: hostile

2. characterized by or expressing such a quality:

   a patient smile.

   Synonyms: unexcited, composed, self-possessed, 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

Derived Forms

• ˈpatiently, adverb

Other Words From

• patient·less adjective
• patient·ly adverb
• patient·ness noun
• over·patient adjective
• quasi-patient adjective
• quasi-patient·ly adverb
• super·patient adjective
• super·patient·ly adverb
• un·patient adjective
• un·patient·ly 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

Until now, most studies investigating these interactions relied either on patient cohort analyses affected by many confounding factors or on experiments using isolated gut bacteria, which do not fully capture the complexity of the human microbiome.

From Science Daily

This year’s winner of France’s biggest book prize is being sued in Algeria over claims he stole the story from a patient of his psychiatrist wife.

From BBC

Dr Panchu Xavier told jurors that his patient was experiencing psychosis when he was admitted to Ashworth High Secure Hospital, Liverpool, in March 2024.

From BBC

Over the course of two days, each patient received single doses of 1.5g of sodium oxybate or placebo that was matched by its taste, smell, color, and appearance to the drug.

From Science Daily

The trial was conducted in a double-blind fashion, meaning that neither patient nor clinician knew when they received the active drug.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• calm
• forgiving
• gentle
• quiet
• tolerant