Word
inpatient
Phoneticsin·pa·tient, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɪnˌpeɪʃənt/
UK/ˈɪnpeɪʃənt/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a person who stays in a hospital for at least one night to get medical care. You use this word to distinguish them from people who visit for just an hour or two.
n. a patient who is admitted to a hospital or clinic for treatment that requires at least one overnight stay. Often contrasted with 'outpatient'.
Examples
“The hospital provides meals and a bed for every inpatient.”
“After the surgery, he was moved to the surgical ward as an inpatient for three days of observation.”
“The facility is designed to accommodate both acute inpatients requiring constant monitoring and outpatients who only visit for brief physical therapy sessions.”
Examples
simple
“The hospital provides meals and a bed for every inpatient.”
contextual
“After the surgery, he was moved to the surgical ward as an inpatient for three days of observation.”
complex
“The facility is designed to accommodate both acute inpatients requiring constant monitoring and outpatients who only visit for brief physical therapy sessions.”
Usage
Commonly used as a modifier in noun phrases like 'inpatient care' or 'inpatient treatment'.
Pitfall
he is an in-patient
he is an inpatient
While the hyphenated form exists in older texts, modern medical and general English prefers the closed compound 'inpatient'.
Real-World Examples
“Preventable illness accounts for half of GP appointments and 70% of inpatient hospital bed days.” “In Sudan, 37 percent of facilities were reported non-functional in 2026, while only three per cent of assessed facilities had inpatient care, he said.” Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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