1 valetudinarian | Definition of valetudinarian
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valetudinarian

noun
val路​e路​tu路​di路​nar路​i路​an | \ 藢va-l蓹-藢t眉-d蓹-藞ner-膿-蓹n How to pronounce valetudinarian (audio) , -藢ty眉-\

Definition of valetudinarian

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: a person of a weak or sickly constitution especially : one whose chief concern is his or her ill health

valetudinarian

adjective

Definition of valetudinarian (Entry 2 of 2)

: of, relating to, or characteristic of a valetudinarian : sickly, weak

Did You Know?

Noun

Oddly enough, "valetudinarian," a word for someone who is sickly (or at least thinks he or she is) comes from "val膿re," a Latin word that means "to be strong" or "to be well." Most of the English offspring of "val膿re" imply having some kind of strength or force-consider, for instance, "valiant," "prevail," "valor," and "value." But the Latin val膿re also gave rise to "valetudo." In Latin, "valetudo" refers to one's state of health (whether good or bad), but by the time that root had given rise to "valetudinarian" in the early 1700s, English-speaking pessimists had given it a decidedly sickly spin.

First Known Use of valetudinarian

Noun

1684, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1713, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for valetudinarian

Noun

valetudinary entry 1 + -an entry 1

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More Definitions for valetudinarian

valetudinarian

noun
val路​e路​tu路​di路​nar路​i路​an | \ 藢val-蓹-藢t(y)眉d-岬妌-藞er-膿-蓹n How to pronounce valetudinarian (audio) \

Medical Definition of valetudinarian

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: a person of a weak or sickly constitution especially : one whose chief concern is his or her ill health

valetudinarian

adjective

Medical Definition of valetudinarian (Entry 2 of 2)

: of, relating to, or being a valetudinarian : sickly

More from Merriam-Webster on valetudinarian

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with valetudinarian

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