hospital: Meaning and Definition of

hos•pi•tal

Pronunciation: (hos'pi-tl), [key]
— n.
  1. an institution in which sick or injured persons are given medical or surgical treatment.
  2. a similar establishment for the care of animals.
  3. a repair shop for specific portable objects: violin hospital; doll hospital.
  4. an institution supported by charity or taxes for the care of the needy, as an orphanage or old people's home.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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