infirmary

noun

in·​fir·​ma·​ry in-ˈfər-mə-rē How to pronounce infirmary (audio)
-ˈfərm-rē
plural infirmaries
1
: a place (as in a school or prison) where sick or injured individuals receive care and treatment
2
: a large medical facility : hospital
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

Examples of infirmary in a Sentence

One of the students became ill and was sent to the infirmary.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
What's more, some travel insurance companies don’t cover visits to ship infirmaries. Kelsey Glennon, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2025 In Phnom Penh’s hot season, when the Cambodian capital’s sweltering, subtropical air routinely soars to 100 degrees, more workers than usual visited the infirmaries inside a factory that made baby clothes for Nike, the world’s largest athletic apparel brand. Rob Davis, ProPublica, 4 Oct. 2024 Jahangir did not break down the casualty figures but said the attack had hit the prison’s infirmary, engineering building, judicial affairs and visitation hall, where visiting family members were killed and injured. David Rising, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2025 About a year after the infirmary team returned to the United States, the 19th Amendment became law, enfranchising 27 million women, the largest expansion of voting rights in American history. Amy Sohn, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for infirmary

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of infirmary was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Infirmary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infirmary. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

infirmary

noun
in·​fir·​ma·​ry in-ˈfərm-(ə-)rē How to pronounce infirmary (audio)
plural infirmaries
: a place (as in a school or camp) for the care of sick or injured people
also : hospital

Medical Definition

infirmary

noun
in·​fir·​ma·​ry in-ˈfərm-(ə-)rē How to pronounce infirmary (audio)
plural infirmaries
1
: a place (as in a school or prison) where sick or injured individuals receive care and treatment
2
: a large medical facility : hospital
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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