As an adjective, “patient” describes someone who can stay calm and not get upset while waiting or dealing with difficulties. As a noun, a patient is a person receiving medical care from a doctor or hospital.
Both meanings come from Latin *patiens*, “one who suffers or endures,” from *pati*, “to suffer.” Over time, the idea of “enduring” led to the calm attitude we call patience and to the sick person who is enduring illness.
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