Word of the Day:

December 9, 2023

convalesce

verb kahn-vuh-LESS

What it Means

To convalesce is to recover health and strength gradually after sickness, injury, or weakness.

// According to the article, the athlete is still convalescing from her recent injury but expects to resume her training schedule by the end of the month.

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Convalesce in Context

"No complications occurred during the surgery or while the pope was convalescing in Gemelli's 10th-floor apartment reserved exclusively for hospitalization of pontiffs, according to the pope's medical staff." — Frances D'Emilio, The Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2023

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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 comes from the Latin verb convalescere, which combines the prefix com-/con-, meaning "with, together, jointly," with the verb valescere, meaning "to grow strong." Valescere, in turn, is related to the verb valēre, meaning "to be strong or be well," which is also an ancestor of prevail, valor, value, and valid.

Word Family Quiz

What 13-letter word derived from Latin valēre refers to a student usually having the highest rank in a graduating class who delivers an address at commencement exercises?

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