hospital
Definitions
An institution providing medical and surgical treatment and nursing care for the sick or injured
医院
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedhospit (guest) + -al (a place relating to) = Latin hospitāle, 'a place that receives guests.' Originally a shelter for any traveler, pilgrim, or needy person. Over time it narrowed to the guests who need the most care — the sick — and became the hospital.
Root hospit still carries 16 more wordsWhy It Means This
A hospital was once a guest-house, not a medical center. Medieval hospitals took in pilgrims, the poor, the elderly, and the sick all together — the word's sibling 'hospitality' still carries that original welcoming sense. As medicine became a specialized job, the building specialized too: the branch that cared for the sick kept the name, and 'hospital' shed its other guests until it meant only the place where illness is treated.
Usage Guide
British English drops the article in 'in hospital' / 'go to hospital' (the institution, not a specific building). American English keeps it: 'in the hospital' / 'go to the hospital.' Both add 'the' when pointing at a particular building: 'meet me at the hospital.'
Example Sentences
- 1.
She was rushed to the hospital after the accident.
- 2.
The new children's hospital opened last month.
- 3.
He spent two weeks in hospital recovering from surgery.