convalesce

verb

con·​va·​lesce ˌkän-və-ˈles How to pronounce convalesce (audio)
convalesced; convalescing

intransitive verb

: to recover health and strength gradually after sickness or weakness
He is convalescing from influenza.
convalescence noun
convalescent adjective or noun

Did you know?

When you convalesce, you heal or grow strong after illness or injury, often by staying off your feet. The related adjective convalescent means "recovering from sickness or debility," and a convalescent home is a hospital for long-term recuperation and rehabilitation. Convalesce derives from the Latin verb convalescere, which combines the prefix com- ("with, together, jointly") with the verb valescere ("to grow strong"). Valescere, in turn, is related to the verb valēre ("to be strong or be well"), which is also an ancestor of prevail, valor, value, and valid.

Example Sentences

He is convalescing from his leg injuries. the long months that the soldier spent in the hospital slowly convalescing
Recent Examples on the Web The promotion felt temporary, a way to give the club more coverage in the outfield while Carroll convalesced. Nick Piecoro, The Arizona Republic, 12 May 2023 The hearing included a few testimonies, like this one, from an 18-year-old who’d just come back from treatment at Lexington. BOY: The convalescing period over there is very good. Carol Sutton Lewis, Scientific American, 30 Mar. 2023 But Americans didn’t always convalesce in hospitals. Seyward Darby, Longreads, 31 Jan. 2023 Since the government ended compulsory testing, letting people with mild symptoms test themselves and convalesce at home, authorities say the government can no longer provide a full accounting of the state of the latest infections. Julia Musto, Fox News, 7 Jan. 2023 Bow soon after entered Glendale Sanitarium to convalesce from the ordeal. Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2022 Twenty critically endangered juvenile Kemp’s ridley sea turtles were flown from New England to the subtropical Florida Keys to convalesce at the Marathon Turtle Hospital after being rescued from Cape Cod Bay’s frigid coastal waters. orlandosentinel.com, 11 Dec. 2021 The rich with mild cases can convalesce at expensive hotels. New York Times, 5 June 2021 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'convalesce.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin convalescere, from com- + valescere to grow strong, from valēre to be strong, be well — more at wield

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of convalesce was in the 15th century

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Dictionary Entries Near convalesce

Cite this Entry

“Convalesce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/convalesce. Accessed 4 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

convalesce

verb
con·​va·​lesce ˌkän-və-ˈles How to pronounce convalesce (audio)
convalesced; convalescing
: to regain health and strength gradually after illness or weakness

Medical Definition

convalesce

intransitive verb
con·​va·​lesce ˌkän-və-ˈles How to pronounce convalesce (audio)
convalesced; convalescing
: to recover health and strength gradually after sickness or weakness

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