valetudinarian

  • 1Valetudinarian — Val e*tu di*na ri*an, a. [L. valetudinarius, from valetudo state of health, health, ill health, fr. valere to be strong or well: cf. F. val[ e]tudinaire. See {Valiant}.] Of infirm health; seeking to recover health; sickly; weakly; infirm. [1913… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2Valetudinarian — Val e*tu di*na ri*an, n. A person of a weak or sickly constitution; one who is seeking to recover health. [1913 Webster] Valetudinarians must live where they can command and scold. Swift. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 3valetudinarian — (n.) one who is constantly concerned with his own ailments, 1703, from valetudinary (1580s), from L. valetudinarius, from valetudo state of health, from valere be strong (see VALIANT (Cf. valiant)) + tudo, abstract noun suffix (see TUDE (Cf.… …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 4valetudinarian — [n] hypochondriac morbid person, neurotic, obsessive person, valetudinary; concept 316 …

    New thesaurus

  • 5valetudinarian — ► NOUN ▪ a person in poor health or who is unduly anxious about their health. ► ADJECTIVE ▪ in poor health or showing undue concern about one s health. ORIGIN from Latin valetudinarius in ill health …

    English terms dictionary

  • 6valetudinarian — n. pl. valetudinaries [val΄ə to͞o΄də ner′ē ən, val΄ətyo͞o΄də ner′ē ən] n. [< L valetudinarius, sickly, infirm, an invalid < valetudo (gen. valetudinis), state of health, sickness < valere, to be strong: see VALUE] 1. a person in poor… …

    English World dictionary

  • 7Valetudinarian — Someone with a weak or sickly constitution, especially someone whose chief concern is being or becoming a chronic invalid. The word valetudinarian comes from the Latin valere , which means to be strong or to be well, via valetudo which could… …

    Medical dictionary

  • 8valetudinarian — 1. adjective /ˌvæ.lə.ˌtuː.də.ˈnɛr.i.ən/ Of infirm health; seeking to recover health; sickly; weakly; infirm. The valetudinarian habit of discussing his health had grown on Rose... Florence Anne Sellar MacCunn, Sir Walter Scotts Friends, 1910, p.… …

    Wiktionary

  • 9valetudinarian — I. noun Etymology: Latin valetudinarius sickly, infirm, from valetudin , valetudo state of health, sickness, from valēre to be strong, be well more at wield Date: 1703 a person of a weak or sickly constitution; especially one whose chief concern… …

    New Collegiate Dictionary

  • 10valetudinarian — /ˌvælətjudəˈnɛəriən / (say .valuhtyoohduh nairreeuhn) noun 1. an invalid. 2. someone who is constantly or excessively concerned about the state of their health. –adjective 3. in poor health; sickly; invalid. 4. constantly or excessively concerned …