das Hospital, -e
hospital
Ein Ort, an dem kranke oder verletzte Menschen von Ärzten und Pflegern behandelt werden.
Definition & meaning
A Hospital is a hospital: an institution where people receive medical care and treatment. In modern German, the word is less common than Krankenhaus and can sound formal, historical, or context-specific. It is also used in some names of medical institutions.
Historically, a Hospital could also be a place that offered shelter and care to travelers, the poor, or the sick.
Grammar & Word origin
Hospital is a neuter noun: das Hospital. Its usual plural is die Hospitäler .
The word comes through Latin hospitale, meaning a place for guests or strangers, from hospes (“guest” or “stranger”).
Synonyms & antonyms
- Krankenhaus : The usual, neutral modern word for a hospital.
- Klinik : Often refers to a specialized medical institution or department; it may also suggest a more particular or private facility.
- Spital : A regional term for a hospital, especially common in Switzerland and parts of southern Germany.
- Lazarett : A military hospital or temporary facility for treating the wounded, rather than a general hospital.
There is no direct antonym for Hospital.
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Warum herrschte im Hospital gestern so viel Unruhe?noun
Why was there so much unrest in the hospital yesterday?
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