Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
🦠 First infected person 🌊 First source
patient zero

patient zero

1 6.8
Person who is the first source of a spreading trend, like a rumor or scandal
  • noun
  • /ˈpeɪʃənt ˈzɪroʊ/
translation icon : paciente cero
  • In the documentary, the journalist identified the original influencer as patient zero in the rise of the social media scandal.

Examples

  • I mean, you know, this is back before Fox News was patient zero in the Me Too movement.

  • But luckily, you know, you're patient zero for Marin.

  • He's like OG patient zero patient patient zero, which I feel like we should tell the story of how Will started back at Inside Quest.

  • And I think what you're just the like patient zero example of someone that hit the threshold of satisficing and was like Seals.

  • Yeah, they're very expendable patient zeros and some of us actually survived.

  • Many people consider her the patient zero of the vegan movement, inspiring countless others to adopt the lifestyle.

  • For the recent trend in sustainable fashion, she is regarded as patient zero, sparking interest around eco-friendly clothing.

Synonyms

pacemaker
vspatient zero
1 5.5

A person or group that sets a new standard for others

is the initial origin of a spreading event rather than a standard setter
disseminator
vspatient zero
1 7.0

A person who shares information or news with other people

is the originating source of the spread rather than merely sharing it
propagator
vspatient zero
1 7.3

A person who spreads news or ideas to other people

is the first source of a spreading event rather than one who spreads it
nucleator
vspatient zero
8.6

A person who starts and organizes a project or movement

is seen as the original source of a spreading event or trend

Surface Forms

patient zero singular
patient zeros plural

Morphology

patient + zero

The phrase pairs 'patient' (a sick person) with 'zero' (the initial reference point), so a learner who knows both words can often infer it refers to the first/initial case in a spreading event. However, this is a technical/figurative epidemiological label rather than a regular everyday compound, so full understanding may require prior exposure or domain knowledge despite some compositional cues.

Etymology

Patient zero is also used for a person or thing seen as the first source of a rumor, scandal, or new trend. Imagine one person starts a wave of gossip; like the first sick person who starts many others getting ill, that person is called patient zero, so the phrase means the 'first' source of the 'spread'.