valetudinary
Definition
Adjective: 1. Pertaining to or characteristic of a valetudinarian: Describes a person who is excessively concerned with their own health and ailments, often to the point of being weak or sickly. It denotes a state of being chronically or excessively focused on one's health, real or imagined.
Usage
This is a formal and somewhat archaic adjective. It is used to describe a person's character, habits, or condition, specifically their preoccupation with ill health. * It is typically used attributively (before a noun) or predicatively (after a linking verb). * It carries a connotation of excessive and often self-absorbed concern.
Examples
- His valetudinary habits, involving constant self-diagnosis and a cabinet full of tonics, exhausted his friends.
- The author's later years were marked by a valetudinary existence, rarely leaving his room.
- She became increasingly valetudinary, convinced every minor ache was a sign of serious illness.
Advanced Usage
- The term can be used in a historical or literary context to describe characters or figures known for their hypochondria or delicate health.
- It can imply a psychological state as much as a physical one, suggesting the condition is partly self-induced or exaggerated.
Variants and Related Words
- Valetudinarian (noun): A person who is excessively worried about their health; a hypochondriac.
- The spa was a haven for wealthy valetudinarians.
- Valetudinarianism (noun): The state or condition of being a valetudinarian.
- His valetudinarianism prevented him from enjoying life's simple pleasures.
Synonyms
- Hypochondriacal
- Health-obsessed
- Sickly (when referring to the resulting weak condition)
- Invalidish
Antonyms
- Robust
- Hale
- Healthy
- Vigorous
Adjective
-
of or relating to or characteristic of a person who is a valetudinarian
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