hospice
Americannoun
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a house of shelter or rest for pilgrims, strangers, etc., especially one kept by a religious order.
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Medicine/Medical.
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a healthcare facility for the terminally ill that emphasizes pain control and emotional support for the patient and family, typically refraining from taking extraordinary measures to prolong life.
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a similar program of care and support for the terminally ill at home or in a nursing home.
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noun
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a nursing home that specializes in caring for the terminally ill
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Also called: hospitium. archaic a place of shelter for travellers, esp one kept by a monastic order
Etymology
Origin of hospice
First recorded in 1810–20; from French, from Latin hospitium “hospitable reception, entertainment”; hospitium
Explanation
If someone has entered into a hospice, his health outlook is likely grim. Hospice care is a program designed to make the process of dying as comfortable as possible for patients and their families. The word hospice comes from the Latin hospitum, meaning "guest house, hospitality." Hospice traditionally meant lodging for travelers, often run by a religious order like a church or monastery. While we most commonly see the word hospice used to describe the particular care provided to people who are dying, the term is not strictly limited to this. A hospice can also be a place that takes care of the sick, not necessarily only the terminally ill.
Vocabulary lists containing hospice
National Nurses Week: Hospital People and Places
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The Fault in Our Stars
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Front Desk
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Federal authorities announced arrests in a hospice fraud crackdown in Southern California.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
“Over the life of this fraud scheme, not a single legitimate hospice service was ever provided, yet millions were billed in a brazen, calculated scheme that exploited the Medi-Cal system,” Bonta said.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
CMS has also flagged fraud in traditional Medicare hospice care and purchases of medical equipment like catheters.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
The number of hospice companies in Los Angeles County has increased by 1,500% since 2010, with 89 registered in a single building.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026
“You can go in now,” the hospice doctor told us all when she returned to the kitchen.
From "Krik? Krak!" by Edwidge Danticat
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
