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.
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
It opened early during the Covid pandemic but had been first proposed in 2004 and was the first major new hospital built in 20 years.
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026
A man in his 20s suffered serious injuries and was taken to hospital.
From BBC • Apr. 1, 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
“When he got out of the hospital, he got his ear pierced.”
From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith
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.
