hospital

noun

hos·​pi·​tal ˈhä-(ˌ)spi-tᵊl 

often attributive

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

Examples of hospital in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Cortiz said eight hospitals in Caracas have been forced to close, and the remaining hospitals are overwhelmed with patients and lack basic cleaning supplies such as bleach and disinfectant. — Max Saltman, CNN Money, 30 June 2026

The April 2025 incident at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey sent three teenagers to a hospital, months after a California oversight body ruled the facility was not a safe place for youths to be housed. — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026

From Chile, a cousin of Daniel Alejandro Núñez Ramírez, 28, who’s also missing, said that his mother was told he had been found alive in the rubble and had been taken out but that so far the family hasn’t found him in any of the hospitals. — Carmen Sesin, NBC news, 30 June 2026

Clinicians say patients are seeing shorter hospital stays, less time under anesthesia and a potentially lower risk of complications with the approach. — Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 30 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

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 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hospital

• cottage hospital
• hospital corner
• hospital gown
• inter-hospital
• multi-hospital
• teaching hospital

Rhymes for hospital

• acquittal
• belittle
• committal
• popliteal
• submittal
• transmittal
• brittle
• kittel
• kittle
• little
• spital
• spittle

Kids Definition

hospital

noun

hos·​pi·​tal ˈhäs-ˌpit-ᵊl 

: an institution where the sick or injured are given medical or surgical care

Etymology

Middle English hospital "a stopping place for travelers, a place that cares for people too old, sick, or poor to care for themselves," from early French hospital (same meaning), derived from Latin hospitale "hospice, guest house," from hospitalis "of a guest," from hospit-, hospes "host, stranger, guest," from hostis "stranger, enemy" — related to hospitality, host entry 1, host entry 2, hostile, hotel

Medical Definition

hospital

noun

hos·​pi·​tal ˈhäs-ˌpit-ᵊl 

often attributive

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