hospice

noun

hos·​pice ˈhä-spəs 

1

: a lodging for travelers, young persons, or the underprivileged especially when maintained by a religious order

2

: a program designed to provide palliative care and emotional support to the terminally ill in a home or homelike setting so that quality of life is maintained and family members may be active participants in care

also : a facility that provides such a program

Synonyms

• hotel
• hostel
• tavern

Examples of hospice in a Sentence

She chose to go to a hospice instead of a hospital.

the monks run a hospice for travelers in their mountain retreat

Recent Examples on the Web

Ni stayed active until the very end, even recording a podcast with Jeff during hospice. —Ciara McCarthy 9, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Sep. 2025

Belgrave traveled to Manhattan during Sheila’s final days, when she was moved from hospice back into her home. —Duante Beddingfield, Freep.com, 5 Sep. 2025

The high-school reunion is, as far as popular imagination tells it, dead—or, at the least, in extended hospice care. —Jordan Michelman, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025

At age 96, on Thursday morning under hospice care at the UHealth Tower hospital in Miami, Schaecter died a warrior for those causes. —Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, going back to Middle French hospise, borrowed from Medieval Latin hospitium "hospitality, lodgings, monastic guesthouse, shelter maintained by a religious order for the poor and infirm," going back to Latin,"accommodation of guests, hired lodgings," from hospit-, hospes "guest, host" + -ium, denominal suffix of function or occupation — more at host entry 1

First Known Use

1818, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

hospice

noun

hos·​pice ˈhäs-pəs 

1

: an inn for travelers

especially : one kept by a religious order

2

: a place or program for caring for dying persons

Medical Definition

hospice

noun

hos·​pice ˈhäs-pəs 

: a facility or program designed to provide palliative care and emotional support to the terminally ill in a home or homelike setting so that quality of life is maintained and family members may be active participants in care