1. (n.) One who suffers; one who endures or undergoes suffering; one who sustains inconvenience or loss; as, sufferers by poverty or sickness; men are sufferers by fire or by losses at sea.

2. (n.) One who permits or allows.

apoplectic arthritic case consumptive dyspeptic epileptic incurable inpatient invalid martyr object of compassion outpatient patient poor devil prey rheumatic shut-in sick person spastic terminal case the sick valetudinarian victim wretch