Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for patient

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
“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


noun

  1. a person who is receiving medical care
  2. rare.
    a person or thing that is the recipient of some action
“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
Discover More

Derived Forms

  • ˈpatiently, adverb
Discover More

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
Discover More

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
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of patient1

C14: see patience
Discover More

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.

Discover More

Example Sentences

Doctors are prohibited from doing what a patient needs by rigid practice guidelines.

For the individual patient, there is the potential for side effects or adverse reactions.

This not only defrauds the state out of thousands of dollars, but also deprives the patient who needs the drugs.

Within days of the first symptom, a headache, the patient was fighting for his life.

No trained medical provider could possibly expect to nourish a patient this way.

“But this is not a case of attending a patient, Baron,” said David Arden, a little haughtily.

But Yung Pak had long before learned to be patient under such circumstances.

Surely, since he had been patient so long without hope, he could be still more patient now that hope had dawned!

He glanced up and saw the face of the Bruder watching him with a smile of patient indulgence.

He told how the Korean farmer lived a simple, patient life, while at the same time he was ignorant and superstitious.

Advertisement

Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement