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Added 7 October 2026

patient

/ˈpeɪ̯ʃənt/ noun

In Latin: patiēns Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about patient at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A person who requires medical care.
the number of emergency patients has grown rapidly
The semantic role of an entity that is not the agent but is directly involved in or affected by the happening denoted by the verb in the clause.

adjective

Enduring trying circumstances with even temper or characterized by such endurance.
a patient smile

Origin

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”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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