Macmillan Dictionary

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People who are ill or have a medical condition

amnesiac

noun

someone who has amnesia

anorexic

noun

someone who has anorexia

asthmatic

noun

someone who suffers from asthma

bed-blocker

noun

a person who cannot return home from hospital because he or she is not able to live alone, but who does not need medical treatment

case

noun

a person with a disease

consumptive

adjective

an old word used for describing someone with the lung disease ‘tuberculosis’

the critical list

noun

a list of very seriously ill people in a hospital

depressive

noun

someone who suffers from depression

diabetic

noun

someone who has diabetes

dyslexic

noun

someone who has dyslexia

epileptic

noun

someone who suffers from epilepsy

exhibitionist

noun

someone who has a mental problem that makes them want to show their sexual organs in public

haemophiliac

noun

someone who has haemophilia

hemophiliac

the American spelling of haemophiliac

idiot savant

noun

someone with a mental disability who has a special ability in a particular subject, for example in mathematics

the infirm

adjective

people who are infirm

inpatient

noun

someone who stays and sleeps in hospital while they are getting their treatment

inpatient

noun

relating to an inpatient

invalid

noun

someone who is ill or injured and is unable to look after themselves

kleptomaniac

noun

someone who has a mental illness that makes them want to steal things

leper

noun

someone who has leprosy

manic depressive

noun

someone who suffers from manic depression

martyr

noun

someone who suffers a lot, especially because of an illness

neurotic

noun

someone who is neurotic

outpatient

noun

someone who receives medical treatment at a hospital, but who does not stay there for the night

paranoiac

noun

a paranoid

paranoid

noun

someone who suffers from paranoia

patient

noun

someone who is receiving medical treatment

private patient

noun

a patient who chooses and pays for their own doctor and medical care, rather than using the care provided free by the government

psychopath

noun

someone who has a serious mental illness that makes them behave in a very violent way towards people

psychotic

noun

someone who is dangerous or violent because they have a serious mental illness

pyromaniac

noun

someone who wants to start fires because they have a mental illness called pyromania

schizophrenic

noun

someone who has schizophrenia

the sick

noun

people who are sick

sufferer

noun

someone who has a particular problem or disease

wreck

noun

someone who looks or feels very ill or tired

agoraphobe

noun

agoraphobic

noun

bed-blocking

noun

cyberloafing

using the Internet where you work, during working hours, for activities which are not work-related

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wane

getting smaller, weaker, or less important

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show a bit of ankle

… to reveal a small part of your intentions in order to attract support, without actually committing yourself to doing anything

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