What does hospitalise mean?
Hospitalise means to admit someone to a hospital for medical treatment and care. The word is especially associated with British English, although related forms are used in many English-speaking countries; the usual US spelling is "hospitalize." A speaker might say that a patient "was hospitalised" after an accident, an acute illness, or surgery. The verb can also imply that a person's condition is serious enough to require a hospital rather than treatment at home. Although it plainly refers to receiving medical care, it can occasionally carry the implication of confinement, particularly when used in descriptions of infectious disease, mental-health care, or people who have been kept in hospital against their wishes. In ordinary medical and journalistic writing, however, the verb is factual and neutral. The more idiomatic phrase "admitted to hospital" is often preferred when describing a patient's arrival for treatment.
verbTo admit a sick or injured person to a hospital for treatment and care. It can also refer to sending someone to hospital because they are too ill to remain elsewhere.
- To admit a person to a hospital so that they can receive medical treatment and care.
- To place someone in hospital because they are too ill to remain at home or elsewhere.
"The elderly patient was hospitalised after suffering a minor fall."
"She was hospitalised overnight for observation after the accident."
"The charity provides support for families whose children have been hospitalised."
Hospitalise belongs to the same Latin root as host and hospitality: the original idea was a place where a guest was received and cared for.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hospitalise come from?
The verb was formed from "hospital" with the suffix "-ise." "Hospital" came into Middle English through Old French and ultimately derives from Latin hospitale, meaning a place for guests, which was associated with hospes, a guest or host. The same Latin root also produced words such as "host," "hospitality," and "hospitable."
Related word forms
How hospitalise is actually used
The spelling is standard in British English and several other varieties; US English normally uses "hospitalize." The term is neutral and appropriate in medical, news, and formal contexts.