Word of the Day

: April 8, 2013

convalesce

verb kahn-vuh-LESS

What It Means

: to recover health and strength gradually after sickness or weakness

convalesce in Context

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.

"Kenyon … was 8 years old when he was struck [by a car]. He had to limit his activities to the quiet kind, so his parents figured piano lessons would give him something to do while he convalesced." - From an article by Charles Hand in the San Diego Union-Tribune, February 24, 2013

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.) The word "convalesce" derives from Latin, from the prefix "com-" ("with, together, jointly") and 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."