valetudinarian
/'væli,tju:di'neəriən/
Definition
Noun:
- A person who is chronically weak, sickly, or in poor health.
- A person who is excessively and morbidly concerned with their own health and ailments; a hypochondriac.
Adjective:
- Pertaining to or characteristic of a valetudinarian; sickly, infirm, or in poor health.
- Excessively worried about one's health.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- The old man was a valetudinarian who spent most of his days in bed.
- She became a valetudinarian, constantly visiting different doctors for minor complaints.
Adjective:
- He led a valetudinarian existence, focused entirely on his various treatments.
- Her valetudinarian concerns prevented her from enjoying life's simple pleasures.
Advanced Usage
- The term often carries a connotation of being overly focused on minor or imagined illnesses, rather than simply describing someone who is genuinely and gravely ill.
- It can be used in a historical or literary context to describe a character type obsessed with health regimens and cures.
Variants and Related Words
- Valetudinarianism (noun): The state or condition of being a valetudinarian; excessive concern about one's health.
- His life was ruled by valetudinarianism.
Synonyms
- Noun: Hypochondriac, invalid, sickly person, chronic complainer.
- Adjective: Infirm, sickly, hypochondriacal, health-obsessed.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- While there are no common idioms using "valetudinarian" itself, the concept is related to phrases like:
- To be a hypochondriac: To be abnormally anxious about one's health.
- To have a morbid fear of illness: To be excessively and unhealthily afraid of being sick.
Adjective
-
of or relating to or characteristic of a person who is a valetudinarian
Noun
-
weak or sickly person especially one morbidly concerned with his or her health
Khám phá thêm
Các từ liên quan
Từ đồng nghĩa
Từ chứa "valetudinarian"
Từ có nhắc đến "valetudinarian"
