The Oxford English Dictionary defines a hospital as, “an institution or establishment for the care of the sick or wounded, or of those who require medical treatment.” The English words hospital, hospice, hostel, hotel, and host are all derived from the Latin noun hospes. Hospes means guest or visitor, or someone who accommodates or entertains guests. Additional definitions of hospital in the OED refer to “a house or hostel for the reception and entertainment of pilgrims, travelers, and strangers,” and “a charitable institution for the housing and maintenance of the needy; an asylum for the destitute, infirm, or aged.”
Additional resources:
• Oxford English Dictionary