different between health vs valetudinarian

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English helþe, from Old English h?lþ, from Proto-West Germanic *hailiþu, from Proto-Germanic *hailaz (“whole, hale”). Cognate with Old High German heilida. Analyzable as whole +? -th, hale +? -th, or heal +? -th. More at heal.

Alternative forms

• helth, helthe, healthe (obsolete)

Pronunciation

• enPR: h?lth, IPA^(key): /h?l?/, [h?l??]
• Rhymes: -?l?

Noun

health (usually uncountable, plural healths)

1. The state of being free from physical or psychological disease, illness, or malfunction; wellness. [from 11th c.]
2. A state of well-being or balance, often physical but sometimes also mental and social; the overall level of function of an organism from the cellular (micro) level to the social (macro) level.

3. Physical condition.
4. in shape, in forme.
5. (obsolete) Cure, remedy. [16th c. (Middle English: 11th-15th c.)]
6. (countable) A toast to prosperity. [from 17th c.]
7. (video games) The amount of damage an in-game object can withstand before it is destroyed.

Derived terms

Related terms

• heal

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English heleð (“man, hero, fighter”), from Old English hæleþ (“man, hero, fighter”), from Proto-West Germanic *haliþ, from Proto-Germanic *haliþaz (“man, hero”). Cognate with West Frisian held (“hero”), Dutch held (“hero”), German Held (“hero”), Danish helt (“hero”), Swedish hjälte (“hero”), Norwegian hold (“hero”).

Alternative forms

• heleth

Noun

health (plural healths)

1. (obsolete) A warrior; hero; man.
   • 1612, Michael Drayton, Poly-Olbion

     They, under false pretence of amity and cheer, the British peers invite, the German healths to view.

References

• health in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• health in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

English

Etymology

From Latin val?t?din?rius, from valetudo (“state of health, health, ill health”), from valere (“to be strong or well”) +? -an.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?væ.l??tu?.d??n?.?i.?n/
• (US)

Adjective

valetudinarian (comparative more valetudinarian, superlative most valetudinarian)

1. Sickly, infirm, of ailing health
   • 1910, Florence Anne Sellar MacCunn, Sir Walter Scott's Friends, p. 234

     The valetudinarian habit of discussing his health had grown on Rose...

   • 1841, Thomas Macaulay, Comic Dramatists of the Restoration (printed in Edinburgh Review, January 1841)

     The virtue which the world wants is a healthful virtue, not a valetudinarian virtue.

2. Being overly worried about one's health

Synonyms

• hypochondriac
• hypochondriacal
• valetudinary

Translations

Noun

valetudinarian (plural valetudinarians)

1. A person in poor health or sickly, especially one who is constantly obsessed with their state of health
   • 1787, Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Mann Randolph, July 6, 1787 in The Works of Thomas Jefferson, Paul Leicester Ford (ed.), Vol. 5, pp. 300-01 (NY: 1904)

     The most uninformed mind, with a healthy body, is happier than the wisest valetudinarian.

   • 1815, Jane Austen, Emma, Vol. I, Ch. 1

     The evil of the actual disparity in their ages (and Mr. Woodhouse had not married early) was much increased by his constitution and habits; for having been a valetudinarian all his life, without activity of mind or body, he was a much older man in ways than in years; and though everywhere beloved for the friendliness of his heart and his amiable temper, his talents could not have recommended him at any time.

   • 1884, Dixon Kemp, A Manual of Yacht and Boat Sailing (4th Ed.)

     The cuisine, of course, would not be such as would raise water bubbles in the mouth of a valetudinarian; the carnivorous propensity will mostly be gratified by steak which, when cut, will resemble the Mudhook Yacht Club burgee of rouge et noir; and savory soups and luscious salmon will be luxuries only obtainable in "cannister" form.

   • 1950, Mervyn Peake, Gormenghast

     Are you a mere valetudinarian, my dear Ladyship, or some prolific mendicant whose bewitched offspring she hopes I can return to human shape?

   • 1985, Louis Auchincloss, Honorable Men

     She affected to be spunky about her ailments and afflictions, but she was in fact an utterly self-centered valetudinarian.

Synonyms

• valetudinary

Derived terms

• valetudinarianism

Translations

Synonyms

• hypochondriac

References

• valetudinarian in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.