valetudinarian
/ˌvæ.ləˌtuː.dɪˈnɛə.ɹi.ən/
Etymology
From Latin valētūdin- + -arian, from oblique stem of Latin valētūdō, from valeō + -tūdō. By surface analysis, valetude + -arian.
valetudinarian means sickly, infirm, of ailing health; related to ill health. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.
Why this word is great
VALETUDINARIAN — [Adjective, Noun] A person who is chronically sickly or excessively anxious about their health. From the Latin valētūdō ("state of health, especially ill health"), from valeō ("to be strong, be well") + -tūdō ("-ness, state"), with the suffix -arian. Unlike an "invalid," which neutrally denotes one disabled by injury or disease, or a "hypochondriac," which implies a primary anxiety often unsupported by medical fact, the valetudinarian occupies a murkier territory where genuine infirmity and cultivated preoccupation are inextricably fused. It is the scent of camphor in a sunless room, the careful calibration of a shawl against a nonexistent draft, and the meticulous, wearying ritual of the daily tonic—a life organized as a quiet monument to the consciousness of being unwell.
adj
- Sickly, infirm, of ailing health; related to ill health.“The virtue which the world wants is a healthful virtue, not a valetudinarian virtue.”
- Being overly worried about one's health.“True Madam there are Valetudinarians in Reputation as well as constitution—who being conscious of their weak Part, avoid the least breath of air, and supply their want of Stamina by care and circumspection—”
noun
- A person in poor health or sickly, especially one who is constantly obsessed with their state of health“The most uninformed mind, with a healthy body, is happier than the wisest valetudinarian.”