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patient
/ˈpeɪʃənt/
able to wait without complaining
She was patient while waiting in line for three hours.
She remained calm and tolerant despite the long wait.
Medicine
Medicine
A person receiving medical treatment.
The doctor saw ten patients in the morning.
The doctor treated ten individuals needing medical care.
Used in healthcare contexts to refer to individuals under treatment.
general
Able to accept or tolerate delays, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious.
He remained patient even when the train was delayed for two hours.
He stayed calm and did not complain despite the long delay.
Describes a person's temperament or behavior.
Collocations
patient with childrentolerant toward childrenpatient listenersomeone who listens calmlypatient caremedical treatment provided to patients
Pro Tip
Distinguish 'patient' (noun) vs. 'patient' (adjective)
Use 'patient' as a noun when referring to someone in a hospital or clinic (e.g., 'The doctor treated the patient.'). Use it as an adjective to describe someone who waits calmly (e.g., 'Be patient while I finish this task.').
Gold Rule
Adjective vs. Noun Usage
The adjective form describes a person's temperament (e.g., 'She is a patient person.'). The noun form refers to a person receiving medical care (e.g., 'The patient was discharged.').
Word Origin
From Old French 'pacient' (suffering), from Latin 'patiens' (suffering, enduring), present participle of 'patior' (to suffer, endure).
Usage Notes
As an adjective, 'patient' describes a person's ability to wait calmly. As a noun, it refers to someone receiving medical care. Do not confuse with 'patience' (the noun form meaning the quality of being patient).
Word Breakdown
pati-
suffering or enduring
root-ent
indicating an agent or quality
suffixEnglish Dictionary