hospital

noun

hos·​pi·​tal ˈhä-(ˌ)spi-tᵊl 

often attributive

1

: a charitable institution for the needy, aged, infirm, or young

2

: an institution where the sick or injured are given medical or surgical care

—usually used in British English without an article after a preposition

3

: a repair shop for specified small objects

a clock hospital

Examples of hospital in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The twisters caused significant damage, toppling trees and sending one person to the hospital after a roof caved in, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported. —Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 17 May 2025

Picture a hospital that redirects power and reroutes systems in a blackout—before a patient flatlines. —Dan Drogman, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025

After successfully completing the operation, the pair commiserates outside the hospital. —Randall Colburn, EW.com, 16 May 2025

Read More Nurse lied 3 times about visiting VA patient who died at Texas hospital, feds say Christiana Ogbonnaya, a former nurse at a Houston veterans’ hospital, is accused of lying about checking on a patient who later died. —Miami Herald, 16 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English hospital, ospitale "residence for pilgrims and travelers, charitable institution providing residence for the poor and infirm," borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Medieval Latin hospitāle, going back to Latin, in plural hospitālia "guest accommodations" (probably by ellipsis from hospitāle cubiculum "sleeping room for guests"), noun derivative from neuter of hospitālis "of a guest, of hospitality, hospitable," from hospit-, hospes "guest, host" + -ālis -al entry 1 — more at host entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hospital

• cottage hospital
• hospital corner
• hospital gown
• inter-hospital
• multi-hospital
• teaching hospital

Rhymes for hospital

• acquittal
• belittle
• committal
• submittal
• transmittal
• brittle
• kittel
• kittle
• little
• spital
• spittle
• tittle

Kids Definition

hospital

noun

hos·​pi·​tal ˈhäs-ˌpit-ᵊl 

: an institution where the sick or injured are given medical or surgical care

Etymology

Middle English hospital "a stopping place for travelers, a place that cares for people too old, sick, or poor to care for themselves," from early French hospital (same meaning), derived from Latin hospitale "hospice, guest house," from hospitalis "of a guest," from hospit-, hospes "host, stranger, guest," from hostis "stranger, enemy" — related to hospitality, host entry 1, host entry 2, hostile, hotel

Medical Definition

hospital

noun

hos·​pi·​tal ˈhäs-ˌpit-ᵊl 

often attributive

1

: a charitable institution for the needy, aged, infirm, or young

2

a

: an institution where the sick or injured are given medical or surgical care

—when used in British English following a preposition, the article is usually omitted

came and saw me in hospital

—Robert Graves

b

: a place for the care and treatment of sick and injured animals