Krankenhaus
/ˈkʁaŋ.kən.haʊ̯s/noun
The German word for a hospital.
Did you know?The first element, Kranken-, means “the sick” or “sick people,” while Haus means “house,” making the compound unusually transparent even in modern German.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*krankaz + *hūsą
““Weak or sick” + “house”; the deeper origin of krankaz is uncertain, while hūsą is linked to the ancient Germanic word for a dwelling.”
Old High German
Old High German
kranc + hūs
“Kranc meant “weak, frail, or sick,” and hūs meant “house” or “dwelling.””
Middle High German
Middle High German
kranc + hūs
“The elements continued to mean “sick or weak” and “house,” allowing compounds referring to places associated with the sick.”
18th–19th Century
German
Krankenhaus
“A compound meaning literally “house of the sick,” increasingly used for an institution treating ill people.”
Modern English usage
English
Krankenhaus
“A German loanword occasionally used in English contexts, especially when discussing German hospitals or language.”