[hos.pi.tal] n, often attrib [ME, fr. MF, fr. ML hospitale hospice, guest house, fr. neut. of L hospitalis of a guest, fr. hospit-, hospes] (14c) 1: a charitable institution for the needy, aged, infirm, or young
2: an institution where the sick or injured are given medical or surgical care--usu. used in British English without an article after a preposition
3: a repair shop for specified small objects "clock ~"