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patient
Patient is defined as someone under medical care.
(noun)An example of patient is someone having her throat checked by a doctor.
The definition of patient is waiting calmly for however long is needed.
(adjective)An example of patient is waiting two hours to see the vet without protest.
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See patient in Webster's New World College Dictionary
adjective
- bearing or enduring pain, trouble, etc. without complaining or losing self-control
- refusing to be provoked or angered, as by an insult; forbearing; tolerant
- calmly tolerating delay, confusion, inefficiency, etc.
- able to wait calmly for something desired
- showing or characterized by patience: a patient face
- steady; diligent; persevering: a patient worker
- Rare receiving action; passive
Origin: ME pacient < OFr < L patiens, patient, prp. of pati: see passion
noun
- a person receiving care or treatment, esp. from a doctor
- Rare a person who receives an action
- Gram. the word or words designating the person or thing affected by the action of the verb
Related Forms:
- patiently adverb
See patient in American Heritage Dictionary 4
adjective
- Bearing or enduring pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance with calmness.
- Marked by or exhibiting calm endurance of pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance.
- Tolerant; understanding: an unfailingly patient leader and guide.
- Persevering; constant: With patient industry, she revived the failing business and made it thrive.
- Capable of calmly awaiting an outcome or result; not hasty or impulsive.
- Capable of bearing or enduring pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance: “My uncle Toby was a man patient of injuries” (Laurence Sterne).
- One who receives medical attention, care, or treatment.
- Linguistics A noun or noun phrase identifying one that is acted upon or undergoes an action. Also called goal.
- Archaic One who suffers.
Origin:
Origin: Middle English pacient
Origin: , from Old French
Origin: , from Latin patiēns, patient-
Origin: , present participle of patī, to endure; see pē(i)- in Indo-European roots
.Related Forms:
- paˈtient·ly adverb
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