patient

1 of 2

adjective

pa·​tient ˈpā-shənt How to pronounce patient (audio)
1
: bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint
2
: manifesting forbearance under provocation or strain
3
: not hasty or impetuous
4
: steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity
5
a
: able or willing to bear
used with of
b
: susceptible, admitting
patient of one interpretation

patient

2 of 2

noun

pa·​tient ˈpā-shənt How to pronounce patient (audio)
1
a
: an individual awaiting or under medical care and treatment
cancer patients
psychiatric patients
b
: the recipient of any of various personal services
2
: one that is acted upon
are agents as well as patients and observers in the worldC. H. Whiteley

Examples of patient in a Sentence

Adjective To pry apart violent Islamic radicals, the United States has to become knowledgeable about internal cleavages and be patient in exploiting them. Samantha Power, New York Times Book Review, 29 July 2007
I pack them into the compartment for a visit, pack till it's full far beyond capacity and weep with them, share with them my scanty bit of good fortune, tell them I care, tell them be patient, tell them I'm on their side … John Edgar Wideman, Harper's, December 2003
There's no sense being patient with people who make you wait, because they'll only make you wait longer the next time. Andrew A. Rooney, And More by Andy Rooney, (1979) 1982
I hate having to stand in long lines. I'm just not very patient. The teacher treated her students in a patient and understanding way. “Aren't you finished yet?” “Be patient. I'll be done soon.” Proofreading requires patient attention to detail. They put in years of patient labor on the project. Noun Several patients were waiting to see the doctor. the nurse asked the patient to change into a paper gown
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Winchester Indiana Mayor Bob McCoy urged residents to be patient as officials assess everyone's needs and offer resources. Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2024 And patient investors weren’t just rewarded with outsized returns, but with record payouts of cold, hard cash. Will Daniel, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2024 Infection prevention measures include rigorous cleaning schedules and sterilization of spaces and equipment that are used for patient care. Kayla Hui, Verywell Health, 10 Mar. 2024 Its rotation isn’t a sprint or a crawl but a deliberate and patient stride. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2024 In the meantime, the drug and patient support services are still available for people living with ALS; however, the company has paused promotion of Relyvrio. Mira Cheng, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024 The paper also notes that lab contamination and patient behaviors that are unknown to the researchers could also influence their results. Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024 Our partners achieve better healthcare and patient outcomes, reduce the need for hospitalization or re-admission, and reduce healthcare delivery costs through more efficient use of resources. Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2024 The administrative complaint says Sampson punctured patient E.R.’s liver and intestines and injected the fat removed from the abdomen into her gluteal muscles (prohibited in Florida since 2019). David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2024
Noun
Tube feedings can also have unpleasant or dangerous side effects and often increase a dying patient’s discomfort. Jenny Sweigard, Verywell Health, 4 Mar. 2024 Or designing a universal screening tool as part of a patient’s electronic medical record that would help medical professionals analyze kids’ injuries indiscriminately. Jennifer Brookland, Detroit Free Press, 4 Mar. 2024 This leaves Louisiana’s IVF clinics and patients with few realistic options, Schilling said: An embryo has to be transferred into a patient, stored forever at the patient’s expense or donated to a married couple. Anumita Kaur, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2024 The process involves fertilizing eggs with sperm in a lab to create embryos; at least one is then transferred to a patient’s uterus. Meg Tirrell, CNN, 3 Mar. 2024 In 2015, Pfizer pulled its application to make their cholesterol drug atorvastatin available to patients OTC because in an actual use study patients were not using the drug correctly. Joshua Cohen, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 In the current system, high-risk kidneys are offered to patients on the wait list who have agreed to accept them. Joshua Mezrich, STAT, 2 Mar. 2024 State lawmakers voted to protect in vitro fertilization (IVF) providers and patients from civil and criminal penalties if any embryos created are damaged or destroyed. Essence, 1 Mar. 2024 Only children under age seven and patients with some chronic diseases and dietary needs receive powdered milk monthly through the ration card. Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'patient.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Middle English pacient, from Anglo-French, from Latin patient-, patiens, from present participle of pati to suffer; perhaps akin to Greek pēma suffering

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of patient was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near patient

Cite this Entry

“Patient.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patient. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

patient

1 of 2 adjective
pa·​tient ˈpā-shənt How to pronounce patient (audio)
1
: putting up with pains or hardships calmly or without complaint
2
: showing calm self-control
3
: not hasty or reckless
4
: steadfast sense 2, persevering
years of patient labor
patiently adverb

patient

2 of 2 noun
: an individual awaiting or under medical care and treatment

Medical Definition

patient

noun
pa·​tient ˈpā-shənt How to pronounce patient (audio)
1
: a sick individual especially when awaiting or under the care and treatment of a physician or surgeon
the hospital is equipped to handle 500 patients
2
: a client for medical service (as of a physician or dentist)
a good practice with a large number of patients

More from Merriam-Webster on patient

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