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hospital

noun, often attributive hos·pi·tal \ ˈhä-(ˌ)spi-tᵊl \
|Updated on: 5 Aug 2018

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

See hospital defined for English-language learners

See hospital defined for kids

Recent Examples of hospital from the Web

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.

Origin and Etymology of hospital

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin hospitale hospice, guest house, from neuter of Latin hospitalis of a guest, from hospit-, hospes

Phrases Related to HOSPITAL

Related Phrases

HOSPITAL Defined for English Language Learners

hospital

noun

Definition of hospital for English Language Learners

  • : a place where sick or injured people are given care or treatment and where children are often born

HOSPITAL Defined for Kids

hospital

noun hos·pi·tal \ ˈhä-ˌspi-tᵊl \

Definition of hospital for Students

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

Medical Dictionary

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
2 a : 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

Learn More about hospital

  1. See words that rhyme with hospital Spanish Central: Translation of hospital Nglish: Translation of hospital for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of hospital for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hospital

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