outpatient

noun

out·​pa·​tient ˈau̇t-ˌpā-shənt 

often attributive

: a patient who is not hospitalized overnight but who visits a hospital, clinic, or associated facility for diagnosis or treatment compare inpatient

Examples of outpatient in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

What once could require four to six hours of surgery and days of hospitalization can now often be performed as an outpatient procedure. — Marlee Ginter, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026

Replace Unity Health Newport's aging 33,000-square-foot roof to protect medical equipment and IT systems and maintain emergency, inpatient, outpatient, diagnostic, and specialty services. — Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 27 Aug. 2026

The companies will agree to provide discounts on outpatient drugs to state Medicaid programs so that the prices states pay align with what the companies charge in foreign countries. — Ed Silverman, STAT, 27 Aug. 2026

This amounts to roughly $10 trillion over 2026-2035, mostly from Part B (a medical insurance program for outpatient and doctors’ visits). — Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 27 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1715, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for outpatient

• impatient
• inpatient
• patient

Kids Definition

outpatient

noun

out·​pa·​tient ˈau̇t-ˌpā-shənt 

: a patient who visits a hospital for diagnosis or treatment without staying overnight compare inpatient

Medical Definition

outpatient

noun

out·​pa·​tient ˈau̇t-ˌpā-shənt 

: a patient who is not hospitalized overnight but who visits a hospital, clinic, or associated facility for diagnosis or treatment compare inpatient