Hospital
/ˈhɒs.pɪ.təl/noun
A place where sick or injured people receive medical treatment and care.
Did you know?Hospital shares its root with *host*, *hotel*, *hostile*, and *hospice*—all tracing back to a Latin word for a guest or stranger, showing how hospitality and danger were once tightly linked.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ghos-ti-
“stranger; guest; one with reciprocal obligations”
Latin
Latin
hospes
“guest; host; stranger under protection”
Late Latin
Latin
hospitale
“guest-house; lodging for visitors”
Old French
Old French
hospital
“lodging for the poor, travelers, and the sick”
Middle English
English
hospital
“an institution for the care of the sick and injured”
Modern English
English
hospital
“a medical institution for treatment and care”