hospital
Americannoun
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hospitals
plural
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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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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. ); see also hospitium
Explanation
A hospital is the place to go when you're very sick or injured in a way that requires immediate treatment. If you trip over your shoelaces and break your arm, you'll need to go to the hospital. People having surgery or delivering a baby usually go to a hospital, and if you suspect you have food poisoning, you might visit the emergency room of a hospital. Hospitals are staffed by doctors and nurses, as well as office workers, cleaners, and aides of various kinds. The earliest hospitals were shelters or needy people, or hostels for travelers, and the word comes from the Late Latin hospitale, "guest house or inn."
Vocabulary lists containing hospital
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.
See Examples For:
A mum says she feels "guilty" for buying a fake squishy toy that exploded in her son's face, resulting in him needing hospital treatment.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
He added that one officer was taken to a nearby hospital.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
The crews eventually extricated Toscano, who was conscious and talkative as she was pulled out and rushed to a hospital to treat her injuries, her father said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
The Toyota's driver was transported to a hospital and is expected to survive.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
She said that Daisy was walking all over the hospital.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
Authorities launched a massive rescue operation across several cities and put hospitals on red alert.
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
The family's experience of corridor care in both Essex and London hospitals is at the forefront of his wife Debbie's mind when politics comes up in conversation.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
Tanker trucks with drinking water are being distributed, with hospitals, long-term care centers and other essential services being prioritized.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
Some hospitals that provide emergency medical services but not trauma care, including Catalina Island Health and MLK hospital, are pushing for the county to help them by providing recurring disbursements of Measure B funds.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
In fact I think hospitals are exactly what graveyards are supposed to be like.
From "The Pigman" by Paul Zindel
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.
