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

Once the fund’s reserves become depleted, Medicare would be able to cover only 89% of costs for patients’ hospital visits, hospice care and nursing home stays or home health care that follow hospital visits. —Lionel Lim, Fortune, 19 June 2025

Dash, who has an ultra-rare, undiagnosed neurodegenerative disorder that causes frequent seizure-like episodes and is currently in hospice care. —Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 19 June 2025

Once the fund's reserves become depleted, Medicare would be able to cover only 89% of costs for patients' hospital visits, hospice care and nursing home stays or home health care that follow hospital visits. —Arkansas Online, 19 June 2025

After staying in a hospice towards the end of his life, Carter died on June 10, 2025. —Alex Harrington, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 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