convalescere

Convalescere is a Latin verb meaning to grow strong again, to recover health after illness or injury, or more broadly to improve in condition. It can refer to physical recovery as well as a figurative return to a better state of affairs, such as a person’s fortunes or a situation improving after a setback. In classical and late Latin texts, the term appears in medical, narrative, and rhetorical contexts to describe restoration of strength or well‑being.

Etymology and form: convalescere is derived from care of the verb valeo, “to be strong,” with the added sense of thorough or renewed strength. It is a third‑conjugation verb. The infinitive is convalescere, with forms such as convalescit (he recovers) and convaluit (he recovered) in the present and perfect tenses, respectively. The participle convalescens and related derivatives describe the act of recovering or the process of convalescence.

Usage and examples: In Latin prose, convalescere commonly appears in medical narration describing a patient regaining health after illness. It can also be used figuratively to indicate improvement in circumstances or conditions. Example (Latin): Puer post febrem paulatim convaluit, et raven resedit. In English scholarly style, one might render: “The patient began to convalesce after the fever.”

Modern cognates: The verb gives rise to English convalesce and convalescence, and to Romance-language forms such as Spanish convalecer and Italian convalescere. See also convalescence and convalescent.