convalescent

English

Etymology

From French convalescent, from Latin convalēscēn(t-)s, present participle of convalēscere (“to become strong or well”); see convalesce.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌkɒnvəˈlɛsənt/
• Rhymes: -ɛsənt

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Adjective

convalescent (not comparable)

1. recovering one's health and strength after a period of illness
   • 1842, [anonymous collaborator of Letitia Elizabeth Landon], chapter XLVI, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 282:

     So soon as Lady Anne was pronounced convalescent by the medical men, she insisted on discharging "that odious woman," the nurse,...

   • 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter IV, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:

     "Mid-Lent, and the Enemy grins," remarked Selwyn as he started for church with Nina and the children. Austin, knee-deep in a dozen Sunday supplements, refused to stir; poor little Eileen was now convalescent from grippe, but still unsteady on her legs; her maid had taken the grippe, and now moaned all day: "Mon dieu! Mon dieu! Che fais mourir!"

2. of convalescence or convalescents

   She stayed in a convalescent hospital for two weeks before returning home.

Derived terms

• convalescently
• convalescent plasma
• convalescent serum
• postconvalescent

Translations

recovering one's health and strength after a period of illness

Bulgarian: оздравяващ (bg) (ozdravjavašt), възстановяващ се (vǎzstanovjavašt se) Dutch: recuperen (nl) Finnish: toipuva (fi) German: genesend (de), gesundend (de) Maori: mātūtū, tumahu Russian: выздора́вливающий (ru) m (vyzdorávlivajuščij), поправля́ющийся (ru) m (popravljájuščijsja) Scottish Gaelic: ath-shlàinteach Turkish: nekahet (tr) Ukrainian: той хто одужує m (toj xto odužuje), який одужує m (jakyj odužuje)

of convalescence or convalescents

Finnish: toipilas- (fi) German: de Genesung betreffend, Genesende betreffend Scottish Gaelic: ath-shlàinteach

Noun

convalescent (plural convalescents)

1. A person recovering from illness.

   I had been ill in health, but am now a convalescent.

Translations

recovering person

Finnish: toipilas (fi) German: Genesende f, Genesender m, Rekonvaleszent (de) m, Rekonvaleszentin (de) f, Gesundende f, Gesundender m Navajo: yáʼátʼééh náádleełii Polish: rekonwalescent (pl) m, rekonwalescentka (pl) f

Related terms

terms derived from the same Latin verb

• convalesce (verb)
• convalescence (noun)
• convalescency (noun) (dated)

French

Etymology

From Latin convalēscentem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kɔ̃.va.lɛ.sɑ̃/ ~ /kɔ̃.va.le.sɑ̃/
• Homophone: convalescents

Adjective

convalescent (feminine convalescente, masculine plural convalescents, feminine plural convalescentes)

1. convalescent

Noun

convalescent m (plural convalescents, feminine convalescente)

1. convalescent

Further reading

• “convalescent”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [kɔn.waˈɫeːs.kɛnt]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [koɱ.vaˈlɛʃ.ʃen̪t̪]

Verb

convalēscent

1. third-person plural future active indicative of convalēscō

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French convalescent, from Latin convalescens.

Adjective

convalescent m or n (feminine singular convalescentă, masculine plural convalescenți, feminine and neuter plural convalescente)

1. convalescent

Declension

Declension of convalescent

		singular				plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine		masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative- accusative	indefinite	convalescent		convalescentă		convalescenți	convalescente
	definite	convalescentul		convalescenta		convalescenții	convalescentele
genitive- dative	indefinite	convalescent		convalescente		convalescenți	convalescente
	definite	convalescentului		convalescentei		convalescenților	convalescentelor