patient

1 of 2

adjective

pa·tient ˈpā-shənt

: bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint

: manifesting forbearance under provocation or strain

: not hasty or impetuous

: steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity

: able or willing to bear

—used with of

: susceptible, admitting

patient of one interpretation

patient

2 of 2

noun

pa·tient ˈpā-shənt

: an individual awaiting or under medical care and treatment

cancer patients

psychiatric patients

: the recipient of any of various personal services

: one that is acted upon

are agents as well as patients and observers in the world

C. H. Whiteley

Example Sentences

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 See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

But the couple is patient, because the journey to start Apex has unfolded over years.

Stefene Russell, The Salt Lake Tribune, 24 Nov. 2022 Just be patient and give it a few years, but each compostable ornament comes with seeds and the materials to (eventually) grow your very own tree.

Emily Deletter, The Enquirer, 22 Nov. 2022 All season, coaches had told Foreman to be patient, to focus on improving one week at a time.

Los Angeles Times, 20 Nov. 2022 Be sure to start early, take your time, and be patient.

Krista Simmons, Sunset Magazine, 17 Nov. 2022 Your anxiety or other emotions may interfere with your ability to be patient.

Francine Russo, WSJ, 14 Nov. 2022 Blackburn said her family is waiting for more information to be released, but the family plans to be patient and allow detectives to continue to investigate to ensure no mistakes are made and the Watermans are convicted.

Tracy Neal, Arkansas Online, 13 Nov. 2022 My personal take on it is that having to be patient a little bit with your tech isn't a bad thing.

Wired Staff, WIRED, 10 Nov. 2022 Be patient, stay calm and keep the faith is a tall order.

Bethany Teachman, CNN, 9 Nov. 2022

Noun

The physician accuses the AG of infringing on patient-doctor confidentiality.

Bynadine El-bawab, ABC News, 24 Nov. 2022 The company later voided its patient tests and settled with investors and federal regulators.

Sarah E. Needleman, WSJ, 23 Nov. 2022 The first lawsuit that followed the investigation — an anonymous MedStar Health System patient who sued Meta — came just days after it was published.

Tara Bannow, STAT, 23 Nov. 2022 Today marks my journey from cancer patient, to cancer SURVIVOR.

Shafiq Najib, Peoplemag, 23 Nov. 2022 The three biggest reasons Floridians sue their doctors are failure to properly diagnose a patient, medication mismanagement and surgical errors, according to attorneys.

Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2022 And crucially, midwives integrated into their communities can positively influence patient decisionmaking because their model of care facilitates a trusting relationship.

Sarah Sloat, WIRED, 20 Nov. 2022 Capacity and patient loads vary significantly across regions and facilities around the state, according to Jared Kosin, president of the Alaska Hospital Association.

Annie Berman, Anchorage Daily News, 19 Nov. 2022 During the hearing Bernard's attorneys questioned medical experts about how these types of subpoenas could damage the patient-physician relationship by generating fear among patients that their personal information could be released.

Johnny Magdaleno, The Indianapolis Star, 18 Nov. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'patient.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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

See more words from the same century