c.1300, from Anglo-French weyver to abandon, waive, Old French weyver, guever to abandon, give back, probably from a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse veifa to swing about, from Proto-Germanic *waibijanan (see waif). In Middle English legal language, used of rights, goods, or women. Related: Waived; waiving.
1. : affected with a disease or illness: ill. â sometimes used figuratively. â see also airsick, carsick, seasick. He is at home sick in bed. She is sick with the flu. I'm too sick to go to work. a sick dog. The medicine just made me sicker. The sickest patients are in intensive care.
Medical Definition of patient. 1  1: a sick individual especially when awaiting or under the care and treatment of a physician or surgeon the hospital is equipped to handle 500 patients. 2  2: a client for medical service (as of a physician or dentist) a good practice with a large number of patients.