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Guilherme Mazui

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What is the Difference Between Patient and Patience?

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The words "patient" and "patience" are often confused due to their similar spelling and pronunciation. However, they have different meanings and uses in sentences:

  • Patient: This word can be used as a noun or an adjective. As a noun, it refers to a person receiving medical treatment or under medical care. As an adjective, it means "able to wait without complaint" or "tolerant and even-tempered".
  • Patience: This word is typically used as a noun only. It refers to someone's capacity to wait for someone else or something while accepting delays or problems without becoming upset or anxious.

A rule of thumb to remember is that "patience" is a noun, so it's something people can have, while "patient" can be both a noun and an adjective. The plural form of "patient" is "patients," which refers to several people who are seeking medical attention. In summary:

  • "Patient" can be a noun (referring to a person under medical care) or an adjective (describing someone's ability to wait or tolerate delays).
  • "Patience" is a noun that refers to the ability to wait or endure hardship without becoming upset.
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  • What is the Difference Between Patient and Patience?
  • Comparative Table: Patient vs Patience

    • Comparative Table: Patient vs Patience

    Here is a table comparing the differences between "patient" and "patience":

    Feature Patient Patience
    Type Noun Noun
    Plural Patients (referring to multiple people) No plural form
    Meaning 1. A person under medical care or treatment.
    2. An adjective describing someone who is able to wait calmly for a long time without becoming upset.    		 The ability to wait or endure hardship for a long time without becoming upset.
    Context Used in medical and non-medical contexts. In a medical context, it refers to an individual receiving medical treatment or care. In a non-medical context, it refers to someone who is able to wait calmly for a long time without becoming upset. Used in contexts where the ability to wait or endure is discussed.
    Example The doctor saw six patients today. I have no patience for waiting in traffic.

    Remember that "patient" is used to describe a person, while "patience" is used to describe a quality or ability.

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    Guilherme Mazui

    Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.