On Newsnight in the week there was a head to head between an activist and a professor. The latter went as far as to say that the word 'patient' was outmoded as it was derived from a word meaning, "one who suffers". How right he was...as far as the etymology goes anyway.
I did wonder what word he
really prefers...
"The word patient originally meant 'one who suffers'. This English noun comes from the Latin word patiens, the present participle of the deponent verb, patior, meaning 'I am suffering,' and akin to the Greek verb paskhein, (to suffer) and its cognate noun pathos." [1]
"consumer (n.)
early 15c., "one who squanders or wastes," [2]
"client (n.)
late 14c., from Anglo-French clyent (c.1300), from Latin clientem (nom. cliens) "follower, retainer," perhaps a variant of prp. of cluere "listen, follow, obey" [3]
"
customer (n.)
late 14c., "customs official;" later "buyer"" [4]
[1]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patients
[2]
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=consumer
[3]
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=client&allowed_in_frame=0
[4]
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=customer&allowed_in_frame=0