hospital
HOS-pih-tl
Hospital (noun) means a medical facility where sick or injured people receive treatment, often including surgery and overnight care. Example: “The baby was born at the hospital just before midnight.”
noun
1
A medical facility where sick or injured people receive treatment, often including surgery and overnight care.
"The baby was born at the hospital just before midnight."
"She was rushed to the hospital after the accident."
"He works long night shifts at the local hospital."
How to use hospital
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA place where people go for medical treatment.
UK vs US
In British English you say "in hospital" (no article); American English says "in the hospital."
Common pairings
go to hospital
admitted to hospital
hospital bed
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Word forms
- Plural
- hospitals
- Comparative
- more hospital
- Superlative
- most hospital
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The baby was born at the _____ just before midnight.
Etymology
From Old French hospital, from Latin hospitalis, "hospitable" — the same root gave us "hostel" and "hotel."
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for hospital
See all rhymes for hospital →Frequently asked questions
What does “hospital” mean?
The word “hospital” means a medical facility where sick or injured people receive treatment, often including surgery and overnight care. In plain terms, a place where people go for medical treatment.
How do you pronounce “hospital”?
“Hospital” is pronounced HOS-pih-tl (/ˈhɑs.pɪ.tl̩/ in IPA).
How do you use “hospital” in a sentence?
Here is “hospital” used in a sentence: “She was rushed to the hospital after the accident.”
What is another word for “hospital”?
Words with a similar meaning to “hospital” include sickhouse.
What part of speech is “hospital”?
“Hospital” is a noun.
Where does the word “hospital” come from?
The word “hospital” comes from Latin. From Old French hospital, from Latin hospitalis, "hospitable" — the same root gave us "hostel" and "hotel.".
Is “hospital” a common word?
“Hospital” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between a hospital and a clinic?
A hospital is a large facility offering complex treatment, surgery, emergency care, and overnight stays for inpatients. A clinic is usually smaller and focuses on outpatient visits, such as check-ups and minor procedures, with patients going home the same day. Hospitals handle the most serious and around-the-clock cases.
What are the different types of hospital?
Common types include general hospitals treating a broad range of conditions, teaching hospitals attached to medical schools, and specialist hospitals focusing on one area such as children's, maternity, psychiatric, or cancer care. Hospitals may also be classified as public or private depending on how they are funded.
What is the difference between a hospital and a hospice?
A hospital treats illness and injury with the aim of curing patients or improving their health. A hospice provides compassionate end-of-life care for the terminally ill, focusing on comfort and dignity rather than cure. The two share a caring purpose but pursue very different goals.
What departments are in a hospital?
Typical departments include accident and emergency, intensive care, surgery, maternity, paediatrics, and radiology for scans, plus outpatient clinics. Larger hospitals add specialist units such as cardiology or oncology, along with support services like pharmacy and pathology. Together these divisions let one facility treat almost any condition.
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