patient

¹pa·tient

adj \ˈpā-shənt\

Definition of PATIENT

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>

— pa·tient·ly adverb

Examples of PATIENT

1. I hate having to stand in long lines. I'm just not very patient.
2. The teacher treated her students in a patient and understanding way.
3. “Aren't you finished yet?” “Be patient. I'll be done soon.”
4. Proofreading requires patient attention to detail.
5. They put in years of patient labor on the project.
6. 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
7. 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
8. 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

Origin of PATIENT

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: 14th century

Related to PATIENT

Synonyms: forbearing, long-suffering, stoic (or stoical), tolerant, uncomplaining

Antonyms: complaining, fed up, impatient, kvetching, kvetchy, protesting

Related Words: lenient; acquiescent, passive, resigned, unresistant, yielding; agreeable, amenable, compliant, complying, conformist, docile, law-abiding, obedient, placable, submissive, subordinate, tractable, willing; slavish, subservient; amiable, obliging; collected, composed; constrained, contained, curbed, inhibited, repressed, restrained; disciplined, self-contained, self-controlled; apathetic, uncaring, unresponsive

Near Antonyms: bored, tired, weary; defiant, resistant; contrary, disobedient, insubordinate, intractable, rebellious, recalcitrant, refractory, ungovernable, unmanageable, unruly

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