What is the Difference Between Patient and Patience?

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.

Comparative Table: Patient vs Patience

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

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