hospital
Americannoun
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an institution in which sick or injured people are given medical or surgical treatment.
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a similar establishment for the care of animals.
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a repair shop for specific portable objects: doll hospital.
violin hospital;
doll hospital.
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British. an institution supported by charity or taxes for people in need of care, as a children's home or nursing home.
noun
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an institution for the medical, surgical, obstetric, or psychiatric care and treatment of patients
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(modifier) having the function of a hospital
a hospital ship
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a repair shop for something specified
a dolls' hospital
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archaic a charitable home, hospice, or school
Other Word Forms
- minihospital noun
- multihospital adjective
- posthospital adjective
Etymology
Origin of hospital
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English (h)ospital, “lodging for pilgrims and travelers, hostel,” Old French (h)ospital, from Medieval Latin hospitāle “guesthouse, inn,” noun use of neuter of Latin hospitālis “hospitable,” equivalent to hospit- stem of hospes “guest, visitor, host” + -ālis -al 1 ( def. ); hospitium
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.
More than 200 hospital patients will be called for a repeat scan to test their bone density after an independent review of patient notes by specialist consultants, the Government of Jersey has said.
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026
Looking toward the future, some elevator companies are integrating their systems with autonomous robots that will bring room service to hotel guests, medications to hospital floors or documents across sprawling office towers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026
Despite its main hospital being nearly new, Aneurin Bevan health board still has a backlog of nearly £233m.
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026
TMZ reported Tuesday evening that the “Hiss” rapper was rushed to a nearby hospital after she fell “very ill” during Tuesday’s performance.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
She sometimes works with burned people in her hospital in Bridgeport, I thought.
From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott
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.
