Origin: Latin suffix -al
Hospital has 4 different meanings across 1 category:
a medical institution where sick or injured people are given medical or surgical care
"After the car accident, paramedics rushed him to the hospital for emergency surgery."
A large medical facility, usually in a building with multiple floors, where seriously ill or injured patients are given extensive medical and/or surgical treatment.
"After his severe car accident, the paramedics rushed him to the nearest hospital for emergency surgery."
In plain English: A hospital is a building where sick or injured people go to get medical care and treatment from doctors and nurses.
"She stayed at the hospital for three days after her accident."
Usage: Use "hospital" to refer specifically to a large medical institution that provides extensive care for seriously ill or injured patients, distinguishing it from smaller clinics or outpatient centers. It is the correct term when describing a facility with multiple floors where inpatient treatment occurs.
Hospitable.
"The hotel lobby was so warm and welcoming that visitors often mistook it for a hospital due to its hospitable atmosphere."
In plain English: There is no such thing as "hospital" as an adjective because it is only used as a noun to describe a place where sick people get medical care.
"The hospital staff was very helpful during my visit."
Usage: The adjective form of hospital means hospitable and welcoming, but it is almost never used in modern English; instead, use the word hospitable directly to describe someone or a place that is friendly and ready to receive guests.
The word hospital comes from the Latin hospes, meaning "host" or "guest," and originally referred to a hospice or shelter for travelers. It entered English through Middle French, eventually replacing the native Old English term lǣċehūs, which literally meant "doctor's house."