Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “hospital” come from?

hospital (Middle English) comes from Old French hospital, from Late Latin hospitale, from Latin hospitālis, from Latin hospes, from Proto-Italic hostipotis, from Proto-Italic χostipotis, from Proto-Indo-European gʰostipotis, from Proto-Indo-European pótis — to drink.

hospital (Middle English): A hostel or guesthouse; a place of accomodation...

Definitions

  1. A hostel or guesthouse; a place of accomodation...

Ancestry of “hospital”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchhospitalhospital; hospitable; welcoming
2Late Latinhospitalehospice; hospital, guesthouse; shelter, hospice,...
3Latinhospitālis—
4Latinhospeshost; guest, visitor; stranger; foreigner
5Proto-Italichostipotishost
6Proto-Italicχostipotis—
7Proto-Indo-Europeangʰostipotismaster of guests
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpótismaster, ruler; husband
9Proto-Indo-Europeanph₃tis—
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₃-to drink

Words derived from “hospital”

  • hospital
  • hospitalization
  • prehospital
  • hospitalist
  • rehospitalization
  • hospitalize
  • nonhospital
  • interhospital
  • posthospital
  • multihospital
  • hospitalism
  • intrahospital
  • posthospitalization
  • hospitalise
  • prehospitalization
  • rehospitalize
  • antihospital
  • hospitalizable
  • prehospitally
  • rehospitalise
  • neurohospitalist
  • hospitalisable
  • hosp
  • hospitall
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peh₃- →