Patient vs. Patience: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Patient is a person receiving medical care. Patience is the ability to wait or tolerate delays without becoming annoyed.
Key Differences
The term "patient" primarily refers to an individual under medical care or treatment, highlighting a specific role in a healthcare context. Conversely, "patience" is a virtue or quality, signifying one's capacity to endure waiting, delays, or frustration without becoming agitated or upset.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 14, 2023
In usage, "patient" often appears in medical or health-related discussions, indicating a person who is ill or seeking medical attention. "Patience," on the other hand, is universally applicable, describing a behavioral trait that can be exhibited in any situation requiring calm endurance or persistence.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 14, 2023
The word "patient" can also denote a broader sense of bearing troubles or suffering calmly, though this is less common. In contrast, "patience" explicitly represents the act of being patient, emphasizing the endurance aspect over the context of health or illness.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 14, 2023
Linguistically, "patient" serves as both a noun and an adjective, whereas "patience" is strictly a noun. This difference underscores "patient's" dual role in describing a person and a characteristic, while "patience" remains focused on the trait alone.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 14, 2023
From an etymological perspective, both "patient" and "patience" share a common Latin root, "pati," meaning to suffer or endure. However, their modern meanings have diverged, with "patient" leaning towards healthcare contexts and "patience" embodying a broader behavioral quality.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 14, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Common Associations
Hospitals, doctors, treatment
Waiting, endurance, calmness
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Linguistic Usage
Describes a person or condition
Describes a quality or behavior
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Patient and Patience Definitions
Patient
Enduring pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance calmly and without complaint.
He was patient with the children even when they were noisy.
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Nov 14, 2023
Patience
The ability to persevere calmly when faced with difficulties.
His patience was tested during the long and complex project.
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Nov 14, 2023
Patient
Capable of accepting or tolerating delays, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious.
You must be patient, as the process can take several weeks.
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Nov 14, 2023
Patience
The quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint or loss of temper.
Her patience with the slow progress was admirable.
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Nov 14, 2023
Patient
A person receiving or registered to receive medical treatment.
The hospital was full of patients waiting for surgery.
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Nov 14, 2023
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Patience
The capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.
She showed great patience when teaching her younger brother.
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Patient
Used to indicate someone under the care of a particular professional.
As a dentist's patient, she was nervous about her appointment.
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Nov 14, 2023
Patience
A state of endurance under difficult circumstances.
Patience is often required in long-term endeavors.
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Nov 14, 2023
Patient
Bearing or enduring pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance with calmness
Tried to remain patient when the airline announced the flight was delayed.
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Oct 19, 2023
Patience
Steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.
Patience is key in learning a new language.
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Nov 14, 2023
Patient
Marked by or exhibiting calm endurance of pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance
Responded to the accusations with a patient smile.
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Oct 19, 2023
Patience
The capacity, quality, or fact of being patient
"The task of mastering ancient languages ... takes years of study, and persistence, and patience" (Cullen Murphy).
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Oct 19, 2023
Patient
Persevering; constant
With patient industry, she revived the failing business and made it thrive.
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Oct 19, 2023
Patience
The quality of being patient.
Musical perfection requires practice and a lot of patience.
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Oct 19, 2023
Patient
Capable of calmly awaiting an outcome or result; not hasty or impulsive.
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Oct 19, 2023
Patience
Any of various card games that can be played by one person. Called solitaire in the US and Canada.
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Oct 19, 2023
Patient
Capable of bearing or enduring pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance
“My uncle Toby was a man patient of injuries” (Laurence Sterne).
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Oct 19, 2023
Patience
The state or quality of being patient; the power of suffering with fortitude; uncomplaining endurance of evils or wrongs, as toil, pain, poverty, insult, oppression, calamity, etc.
Strengthened with all might, . . . unto all patience and long-suffering.
I must have patience to endure the load.
Who hath learned lowlinessFrom his Lord's cradle, patience from his cross.
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Oct 19, 2023
Patience
The act or power of calmly or contentedly waiting for something due or hoped for; forbearance.
Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
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Oct 19, 2023
Patient
(Linguistics) A noun or noun phrase identifying one that is acted upon or undergoes an action. Also called goal.
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Oct 19, 2023
Patience
Constancy in labor or application; perseverance.
He learned with patience, and with meekness taught.
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Oct 19, 2023
Patient
(of a person) Willing to wait if necessary; not losing one's temper while waiting.
Be patient: your friends will arrive in a few hours.
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Oct 19, 2023
Patience
A kind of dock (Rumex Patientia), less common in America than in Europe; monk's rhubarb.
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Oct 19, 2023
Patient
Constant in pursuit or exertion; persevering; calmly diligent.
Patient endeavour
A patient wait
Patient analysis
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Patient
A person or animal who receives treatment from a doctor or other medically educated person.
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Oct 19, 2023
Patient
The noun or noun phrase that is semantically on the receiving end of a verb's action.
The subject of a passive verb is usually a patient.
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Oct 19, 2023
Patient
One who, or that which, is passively affected; a passive recipient.
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Oct 19, 2023
Patient
Having the quality of enduring; physically able to suffer or bear.
Patient of severest toil and hardship.
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Oct 19, 2023
Patient
Undergoing pains, trials, or the like, without murmuring or fretfulness; bearing up with equanimity against trouble; long-suffering.
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Oct 19, 2023
Patient
Constant in pursuit or exertion; persevering; calmly diligent; as, patient endeavor.
Whatever I have done is due to patient thought.
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Oct 19, 2023
Patient
Expectant with calmness, or without discontent; not hasty; not overeager; composed.
Not patient to expect the turns of fate.
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Oct 19, 2023
Patient
One who, or that which, is passively affected; a passive recipient.
Malice is a passion so impetuous and precipitate that it often involves the agent and the patient.
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Oct 19, 2023
Patient
A person under medical or surgical treatment; - correlative to physician or nurse.
Like a physician, . . . seeing his patient in a pestilent fever.
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Oct 19, 2023
Patient
A person who requires medical care;
The number of emergency patients has grown rapidly
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Oct 19, 2023
Patient
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
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Oct 19, 2023
Patient
Enduring trying circumstances with even temper or characterized by such endurance;
A patient smile
Was patient with the children
An exact and patient scientist
Please be patient
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Oct 19, 2023
Patient
Showing self-control and restraint under provocation.
She remained patient despite the repeated delays.
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Nov 14, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Can "patience" refer to a medical condition?
No, it strictly refers to a behavioral quality.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 14, 2023
Can "patience" be used to describe a person?
No, it describes a behavioral trait, not a person.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 14, 2023
Does "patient" have an adjective form?
Yes, it can describe someone who is enduring or tolerant.
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Nov 14, 2023
Are "patient" and "patience" interchangeable?
No, they have distinct meanings and uses.
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Nov 14, 2023
Can "patience" be learned or improved?
Yes, it's a trait that can be developed over time.
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Nov 14, 2023
Are there synonyms for "patient" in a medical sense?
Yes, such as "in-patient" or "out-patient" depending on the context.
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Nov 14, 2023
Is "patient" only used in medical contexts?
Primarily, yes, but it can also describe someone enduring difficulties calmly.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 14, 2023
Can animals be described as "patient"?
Yes, in the sense of showing calm endurance.
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Nov 14, 2023
What are idioms related to "patience"?
"Patience is a virtue," for example.
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Nov 14, 2023
Can technology be described as "patient"?
No, it's a human or animate characteristic.
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Nov 14, 2023
Is "patient" always related to illness?
Mostly, but it can also mean someone tolerating a situation.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 14, 2023
Is "patience" ever used in a medical context?
Not typically; it's more about behavior.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 14, 2023
Is "patience" a skill?
It can be considered a skill in managing emotions and reactions.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 14, 2023
Are there cultural differences in how "patient" is perceived?
Yes, perceptions can vary based on healthcare norms.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 14, 2023
Are there idioms related to "patient"?
Not directly, though there are many health-related phrases.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 14, 2023
Can "patient" refer to a legal status?
Not usually; it's mainly medical or behavioral.
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Nov 14, 2023
Does "patience" vary in different cultures?
The concept is universal, but cultural attitudes towards it can vary.
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Nov 14, 2023
Is "patience" a common virtue?
Yes, it's widely regarded as a positive trait.
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Nov 14, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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