hospital

noun, often attributive

hos·pi·tal | \ ˈhä-(ˌ)spi-tᵊl

Definition of hospital

1 : a charitable institution for the needy, aged, infirm, or young

2 : an institution where the sick or injured are given medical or surgical care —usually used in British English without an article after a preposition

3 : a repair shop for specified small objects a clock hospital

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Examples of hospital in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Archie Battersbee, 12, died at a London hospital around noon on Saturday, about two hours after doctors discontinued treating him. — Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 7 Aug. 2022 When the bleeding did not subside, Cassie’s partner drove them to the hospital, where the remaining tissue was removed. — Roni Caryn Rabin, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Aug. 2022 The victim was transported to an area hospital where her condition is unknown. — Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 7 Aug. 2022 Jay Weeldreyer and his partner Andrea Prudente at the Mater Dei hospital in Malta in June 2022. — Patrick Smith, NBC News, 7 Aug. 2022 After a hospital stay, he was transferred to Marshall Health and Rehabilitation Center. — Jared Whitlock, STAT, 7 Aug. 2022 In Little Rock, police investigated the death of 18-year-old Isaiah Hall, who was shot near the Walmart at 19301 Cantrell Road and died of his wounds at an area hospital, police have said. — Grant Lancaster, Arkansas Online, 7 Aug. 2022 Simanek, 92, died Monday in an Oakland County hospital after a brief illness. — Neal Rubin, Detroit Free Press, 7 Aug. 2022 Private insurers on average pay about twice as much as Medicare for hospital services and 43% more to physicians. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, 7 Aug. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hospital.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for hospital

Middle English hospital, ospitale "residence for pilgrims and travelers, charitable institution providing residence for the poor and infirm," borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Medieval Latin hospitāle, going back to Latin, in plural hospitālia "guest accommodations" (probably by ellipsis from hospitāle cubiculum "sleeping room for guests"), noun derivative from neuter of hospitālis "of a guest, of hospitality, hospitable," from hospit-, hospes "guest, host" + -ālis -al entry 1 — more at host entry 3

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Dictionary Entries Near hospital

hospitableness

hospital

hospital apprentice

Statistics for hospital

Last Updated

9 Aug 2022

Cite this Entry

“Hospital.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hospital. Accessed 17 Aug. 2022.

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More Definitions for hospital

hospital

noun

hos·pi·tal | \ ˈhä-ˌspi-tᵊl

Kids Definition of hospital

: a place where the sick and injured are given medical care

hospital

noun, often attributive

hos·pi·tal | \ ˈhäs-ˌpit-ᵊl

Medical Definition of hospital

1 : a charitable institution for the needy, aged, infirm, or young

2a : an institution where the sick or injured are given medical or surgical care —when used in British English following a preposition, the article is usually omitted came and saw me in hospital— Robert Graves

b : a place for the care and treatment of sick and injured animals