CONVALESCENT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does convalescent mean? 

• CONVALESCENT (noun)
  The noun CONVALESCENT has 1 sense:

1. a person who is recovering from illness

  Familiarity information: CONVALESCENT used as a noun is very rare.

• CONVALESCENT (adjective)
  The adjective CONVALESCENT has 1 sense:

1. returning to health after illness or debility

  Familiarity information: CONVALESCENT used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CONVALESCENT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A person who is recovering from illness

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("convalescent" is a kind of...):

diseased person; sick person; sufferer (a person suffering from an illness)

Derivation:

convalesce (get over an illness or shock)

convalescent (returning to health after illness or debility)

• CONVALESCENT (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Returning to health after illness or debility

Synonyms:

convalescent; recovering

Context example:

convalescent children are difficult to keep in bed

Similar:

ill; sick (affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function)

Derivation:

convalesce (get over an illness or shock)

convalescence (gradual healing (through rest) after sickness or injury)

convalescent (a person who is recovering from illness)

 Context examples 

She had helped Mrs. Shlessinger in the nursing of the convalescent saint.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

If she is not quite convalescent you will find that a hint that we were about to telegraph to a young electrician in the Midlands would probably complete the cure.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

She is tolerably convalescent.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

The hunters possibly no more than tolerated me, though none of them disliked me; while Smoke and Henderson, convalescent under a deck awning and swinging day and night in their hammocks, assured me that I was better than any hospital nurse, and that they would not forget me at the end of the voyage when they were paid off.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)