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valetudinarian

 - 6 dictionary results

val⋅e⋅tu⋅di⋅nar⋅i⋅an

  [val-i-tood-n-air-ee-uhn, -tyood-]
Use valetudinarian in a Sentence
–noun
1. an invalid.
2. a person who is excessively concerned about his or her poor health or ailments.
–adjective
3. in poor health; sickly; invalid.
4. excessively concerned about one's poor health or ailments.
5. of, pertaining to, or characterized by invalidism.
Origin:
1695–1705; valetudinary + -an
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To valetudinarian
val·e·tu·di·nar·i·an   (vāl'ĭ-tōōd'n-âr'ē-ən, -tyōōd'-)   
n.  A sickly or weak person, especially one who is constantly and morbidly concerned with his or her health: "She affected to be spunky about her ailments and afflictions, but she was in fact an utterly self-centered valetudinarian" (Louis Auchincloss).
adj.  

  1. Chronically ailing; sickly.

  2. Constantly and morbidly concerned with one's health.


[From Latin valētūdinārius, from valētūdō, valētūdin-, state of health, from valēre, to be strong or well; see wal- in Indo-European roots.]
val'e·tu'di·nar'i·an·ism n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

valetudinarian 
"one who is constantly concerned with his own ailments," 1703, from valetudinary (1581), from L. valetudinarius, from valetudo "state of health," from valere "be strong" (see valiant) + -tudo, abstract noun suffix. Valetudinary (adj.) "sickly" is recorded from 1581.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 1val·e·tu·di·nar·i·an
Pronunciation: "val-&-"t(y)üd-&n-'er-E-&n
Function:noun
: a person of a weak or sickly constitution; especially : one whose chief concern is his or her invalidism

Main Entry: 2valetudinarian
Function: adjective
: of, relating to, or being a valetudinarian : SICKLY
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

valetudinarian val·e·tu·di·nar·i·an (vāl'ĭ-t&oomacr;d'n-âr'ē-ən, -ty&oomacr;d'-)
n.
A sickly or weak person, especially one who is constantly and morbidly concerned with his or her health. adj.

  1. Chronically ailing; sickly.

  2. Constantly and morbidly concerned with one's health.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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