A hospital is a place where people go to get medicalrelated to doctors, health, and the treatment of illness care, treatmentcare given to help someone recover from illness or injury, or surgeryan operation in which a doctor cuts into the body to fix a problem. It is one of the most common words used for a medical facility that treats sick or injured people.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈhɑspɪtəl/
Easy pronunciation: HOSS-pi-tuhl (approximate spelling).
Stress: Primary stress on the first syllable.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Hospital Meaning
a place where sick or injured people get medical care
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a medical institution where sick or injured people are given medical or surgical care
Example: She spent two days in the hospital after the accident.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- infirmary — A valid synonym in some contexts, but less common today and often suggests a smaller or more old-fashioned medical facility.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Hospital Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- infirmary
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- People sometimes use hospital to mean any doctor's office or clinic, but a hospital is usually larger and handles more serious care.
- In everyday English, hospital usually refers to the place itself, not the medical staff working there.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does hospital mean?
Hospital means a place where sick or injured people receive medical care, treatment, or surgery.
What is a synonym for hospital?
A close synonym is infirmary, though it is less common in modern everyday English.
Is hospital the same as clinic?
Not exactly. A clinic is usually smaller and handles routine or outpatient care, while a hospital provides broader and more serious medical treatment.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
