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patient

Pronunciation: /ˈpeɪ̯ʃənt/

The English word “patient” has 6 meanings listed here.

adjective

  1. Willing to wait if necessary; not losing one's temper while waiting.
  2. Constant in pursuit or exertion; persevering; calmly diligent.
  3. Physically able to suffer or bear.

noun

  1. A person or animal that receives health care from a doctor, nurse, dentist, allied health practitioner, or other person educated in health care.
  2. The noun or noun phrase that is semantically on the receiving end of a verb's action.
  3. One who, or that which, is passively affected; a passive recipient.

Etymology

From Middle English pacient, from Middle French patient, from Old French pacient, from Latin patiens, present participle of patior (“to suffer, endure”), from Proto-Indo-European *peh₁- (“to hate, hurt”).

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