Patient vs. Patience — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on September 26, 2023
Patient refers to someone receiving medical care or someone tolerant, while Patience denotes the ability to endure waiting or provocation without annoyance.
Difference Between Patient and Patience
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Patient and Patience, while phonetically similar, differ substantially in their meanings and uses in the English language. Patient primarily denotes someone under medical care.
Patience, on the other hand, is an abstract noun that refers to the quality of being able to tolerate delay or provocation without becoming annoyed. It signifies endurance and calmness, while a Patient could be someone in a hospital.
It's easy to notice the grammatical distinction between Patient and Patience when examining their roles in a sentence. Patient can function as a noun or adjective, whereas Patience solely serves as a noun.
Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Noun or Adjective
Noun
Primary Definition
Someone receiving medical care.
The capacity to endure waiting or provocation.
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Secondary Definition
Exhibiting tolerance.
N/A
Example Role
The Patient waited for the doctor.
She showed great Patience.
Grammatical Function
Can describe a person (noun) or the attribute of someone (adjective).
Describes a quality or virtue (noun).
Compare with Definitions
Patient
A person receiving or scheduled to receive medical treatment.
The doctor reassured the Patient.
Patience
The capacity to endure waiting, delay, or provocation.
With a little Patience, we can solve this issue.
Patient
Able to accept or tolerate delays, problems, or suffering.
He was Patient in his efforts to master the skill.
Patience
A form of solitaire card game.
She played a game of Patience to pass the time.
Patient
An individual under medical observation or treatment.
The Patient's condition improved.
Patience
Steadfastness despite adversity.
His Patience during the crisis was admirable.
Patient
A patient is any recipient of health care services that are performed by healthcare professionals. The patient is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician, nurse, psychologist, dentist, veterinarian, or other health care provider.
Patience
The ability to wait calmly without becoming annoyed.
Her Patience was tested by the delay.
Patient
Bearing or enduring pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance with calmness
Tried to remain patient when the airline announced the flight was delayed.
Patience
A quality of enduring pain or hardship without complaint.
It takes Patience to achieve mastery.
Patient
Marked by or exhibiting calm endurance of pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance
Responded to the accusations with a patient smile.
Patience
Patience (or forbearance) is the ability to endure difficult circumstances. Patience may involve perseverance in the face of delay; tolerance of provocation without responding in disrespect/anger; or forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties.
Patient
Tolerant; understanding
An unfailingly patient leader and guide.
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).
Patient
Persevering; constant
With patient industry, she revived the failing business and made it thrive.
Patience
Chiefly British, Games Solitaire.
Patient
Capable of calmly awaiting an outcome or result; not hasty or impulsive.
Patience
The quality of being patient.
Musical perfection requires practice and a lot of patience.
Patient
Capable of bearing or enduring pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance
“My uncle Toby was a man patient of injuries” (Laurence Sterne).
Patience
Any of various card games that can be played by one person. Called solitaire in the US and Canada.
Patient
One who receives medical attention, care, or treatment.
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.
Patient
(Linguistics) A noun or noun phrase identifying one that is acted upon or undergoes an action. Also called goal.
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.
Patient
(Obsolete) One who suffers.
Patience
Constancy in labor or application; perseverance.
He learned with patience, and with meekness taught.
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.
Patience
Sufferance; permission.
They stay upon your patience.
Patient
Constant in pursuit or exertion; persevering; calmly diligent.
Patient endeavour
A patient wait
Patient analysis
Patience
A kind of dock (Rumex Patientia), less common in America than in Europe; monk's rhubarb.
Patient
(obsolete) Physically able to suffer or bear.
Patience
Solitaire.
Patient
A person or animal who receives treatment from a doctor or other medically educated person.
Patience
Good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence
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.
Patience
A card game played by one person
Patient
One who, or that which, is passively affected; a passive recipient.
Patient
Having the quality of enduring; physically able to suffer or bear.
Patient of severest toil and hardship.
Patient
Undergoing pains, trials, or the like, without murmuring or fretfulness; bearing up with equanimity against trouble; long-suffering.
Patient
Constant in pursuit or exertion; persevering; calmly diligent; as, patient endeavor.
Whatever I have done is due to patient thought.
Patient
Expectant with calmness, or without discontent; not hasty; not overeager; composed.
Not patient to expect the turns of fate.
Patient
Forbearing; long-suffering.
Be patient toward all men.
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.
Patient
A person under medical or surgical treatment; - correlative to physician or nurse.
Like a physician, . . . seeing his patient in a pestilent fever.
Patient
To compose, to calm.
Patient
A person who requires medical care;
The number of emergency patients has grown rapidly
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
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
Patient
Enduring without protest or complaint
Patient
Exhibiting calm endurance of pain, hardship, or annoyance.
She was Patient with the children.
Patient
One that is acted upon.
Experimental Patients showed varying results.
Common Curiosities
What does Patient refer to?
Patient can refer to someone under medical care or describe someone as tolerant.
Is Patience ever used to describe a person directly?
Not directly, but one can say a person "has Patience."
How is Patience defined?
Patience is the ability to endure waiting, delay, or annoyance without getting upset.
Can Patient be an adjective?
Yes, Patient can describe someone as tolerant or enduring.
Are the words Patient and Patience interchangeable?
No, they serve different grammatical and semantic roles.
Is Patience always seen as a virtue?
Traditionally, yes, but context matters. Sometimes waiting too long can be detrimental.
Are there synonyms for Patient as an adjective?
Yes, including "tolerant," "enduring," and "forbearing."
What is the origin of the word Patience?
It stems from the Latin "patientia," meaning "suffering" or "endurance."
How do Patient and Patience relate?
Being a Patient person can indicate that one possesses the quality of Patience.
Can a Patient person lack Patience?
Yes, being a Patient in a medical sense doesn't guarantee the virtue of Patience.
What's the opposite of Patience?
Impatience.
Can animals be Patients?
Yes, animals can be Patients when receiving veterinary care.
How can one be more Patient?
Techniques like mindfulness, deep breathing, and reframing can help build Patience.
How can I use Patience in a sentence?
"She demonstrated remarkable Patience during the long wait."
Is there a connection between the words Patient and Patience?
Both words derive from the same Latin root, though their meanings in English have diverged.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
