hospital

noun, hos·pi·tal often attributive \ˈhäs-(ˌ)pi-t^əl\

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

Full Definition of HOSPITAL

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

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

: a repair shop for specified small objects <a clock hospital>

See hospital defined for English-language learners

See hospital defined for kids

Origin 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

First Known Use: 14th century

Rhymes with HOSPITAL

acquittal, a little, belittle, committal, Doolittle, in little, lickspittle, remittal, transmittal

HOSPITAL Defined for Kids

hospital

noun hos·pi·tal \ˈhä-ˌspi-t^əl\

Definition of HOSPITAL for Kids

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

Medical Dictionary

hospital

noun , hos·pi·tal often attrib \ˈhäs-ˌpit-^əl\

Medical Definition of HOSPITAL

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

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