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Definition of hospital

hospital

/ˈhɒs.pɪ.təl/
hos · pi · tal
Plural:hospitals
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hospital Lexical Profile

hospital Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A healthcare institution providing patient treatment with specialized medical and nursing staff and medical equipment.

Example

"After the severe collision, she was immediately rushed to the nearest hospital for emergency surgery."

2

A historical charitable institution established for the housing, maintenance, and care of the needy, infirm, or aged.

Example

"During the Middle Ages, local monasteries often ran a hospital to provide safe shelter and modest care for poor travelers."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for hospital

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

• Nearby Words

hospitable
hospitableness
hospitably
hospital
hospitality
hospitalization
hospitalize

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.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Hospital. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/hospital
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