hospital
hospital Lexical Profile
hospital Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A healthcare institution providing patient treatment with specialized medical and nursing staff and medical equipment.
"After the severe collision, she was immediately rushed to the nearest hospital for emergency surgery."
A historical charitable institution established for the housing, maintenance, and care of the needy, infirm, or aged.
"During the Middle Ages, local monasteries often ran a hospital to provide safe shelter and modest care for poor travelers."
Word Nuance & Usage
A notable regional difference exists regarding the use of articles; British English speakers generally say a patient is 'in hospital', whereas American English speakers say they are 'in the hospital'.
• Rhymes for hospital
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'hospital', from Old French 'hospital', derived from Late Latin 'hospitale' (guest-house, inn), the neuter of the Latin adjective 'hospitalis' (hospitable), stemming from 'hospes' (guest, host).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.