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:
The hospital, UMass Memorial Health in Worcester, Mass., said it couldn’t comment on a specific patient experience.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
The force said one boy had been taken to hospital with minor injuries.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
The hospital said it is committed to working with healthcare leaders and state officials to reduce boarding.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
It was trialled in Causeway Hospital before being gradually rolled out across all five hospital trust areas.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
She told me all about her operation and her stay in the hospital.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
Increasingly, in America’s overcrowded hospitals, they are turning into medical waiting rooms, creating vulnerabilities for patients who aren’t being seen by the right specialists.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
This decent sequel works very hard to make us feel sad about its mass deaths; the only blood Yamazaki is willing to show is when the injured pack the hospitals.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
Geisinger, which operates 10 hospitals in Pennsylvania, made changes starting in early 2025 to reduce boarding.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
Many hospitals depended on charitable donations, subscriptions and fundraising events to survive.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
“So it’s likely she won’t be at St. Catherine’s for very long. Though New Haven has, of course, one of the best hospitals, so there’s really no telling.”
From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
