Etymology Explorer › Middle High German

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.

Ancestry of “spitāl”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old High Germanhospitāl—
2Latinhospitāle—
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 “spitāl”

  • Spital
  • Kinderspital
  • szpital
  • špital
  • spital
  • Spidol
  • Spidol
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peh₃- →