Where does “spitāl” come from?
spitāl (Middle High German) comes from Old High German hospitāl, from Latin hospitāle, 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.
spitāl (Middle High German): hospital
Definitions
- hospital
Ancestry of “spitāl”, step by step
spitāl traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old High German hospitāl
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old High German | hospitāl | — |
| 2 | Latin | hospitāle | a guestroom |
| 3 | Latin | hospitālis | Of or pertaining to a host or guest |
| 4 | Latin | hospes | host; guest, visitor; stranger; foreigner |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | hostipotis | host |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | χostipotis | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰostipotis | master of guests |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pótis | master, ruler; husband |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ph₃tis | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | peh₃- | to drink |
via Old High German hospitalhūs
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old High German | hospitalhūs | hospital |
| 2 | Old High German | hūs | house |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | hūs | house |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | hūsą | house |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kewH- | to cover, bedeck; cover |