hospital

n. [ OF. hospital, ospital, F. hôpital, LL. hospitale (or perh. E. hospital is directly from the Late Latin), from L. hospitalis relating to a guest, hospitalia apartments for guests, fr. hospes guest. See Host a landlord, and cf. Hostel, Hotel, Spital. ] 1. A place for shelter or entertainment; an inn. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A building in which the sick, injured, or infirm are received and treated; a public or private institution founded for reception and cure, or for the refuge, of persons diseased in body or mind, or disabled, infirm, or dependent, and in which they are treated either at their own expense, or more often by charity in whole or in part; a tent, building, or other place where the sick or wounded of an army cared for. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hospital ship, a vessel fitted up for a floating hospital. --
Hospital Sunday, a Sunday set apart for simultaneous contribution in churches to hospitals; as, the London Hospital Sunday. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. hospitalis: cf. OF. hospital. ] Hospitable. [ Obs. ] Howell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Written also hospitaller. ] [ F. hospitalier. See Hospital, and cf. Hostler. ] 1. One residing in a hospital, for the purpose of receiving the poor, the sick, and strangers. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One of an order of knights who built a hospital at Jerusalem for pilgrims, A. D. 1042. They were called Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, and after the removal of the order to Malta, Knights of Malta. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A form of medical insurance that pays for all or part of the fees for a person's residence and treatment in a hospital. [ PJC ]

v. t. To place (a person) in a hospital in order to receive medical treatment, for observation, or for rest. [ Chiefly Brit. ]
Syn. -- hospitalize. [ PJC ]

n. (Med.) A vitiated condition of the body, due to long confinement in a hospital, or the morbid condition of the atmosphere of a hospital. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Hospitalities [ L. hospitalitas: cf. F. hospitalité. ] The act or practice of one who is hospitable; reception and entertainment of strangers or guests without reward, or with kind and generous liberality. [ 1913 Webster ]

Given to hospitality. Rom. xii. 13. [ 1913 Webster ]

And little recks to find the way to heaven
By doing deeds of hospitality. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. medical care in a hospital; also, the period during which one receives care in a hospital.
Syn. -- hospital care. [ WordNet 1.5 ]