The Word "Hospital" Is Not An Acronym
The Claim
The word “hospital” is an acronym that stands for “house of sick people in trauma and labor.”
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Emerging story
The claim that the word “hospital” is an acronym has been making a resurgence on social media this summer, with posts that say it stands for “house of sick people in trauma and labor.” Similar claims have been making the rounds since at least 2019.
Misbar’s Analysis
The word “hospital” is not an acronym, made up of other existing words. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, “hospital” originates from the Latin word hospes, which means guest, or host. The English words “hotel,” “hostel,” and “hospice,” also originate from that same source. Early uses of the Latin, "hospitale" referred to a house or other lodging for travelers.
The concept of a public space intended for healing dates back to antiquity and has evolved alongside the world’s knowledge of medicine and healthcare. Hospitals as we know them today started out around the 15th century as “almshouses,” or spaces to house the poor, while the wealthy would be treated at home with their own doctors. It wasn’t until the 18th and 19th centuries when a distinction emerged between relieving the poor, and developing complex public institutions for caring for the sick.
There are a number of English words that are little known to be acronyms, but “hospital” is not one of them. The term “care package” comes from the acronym “Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe,” which was an initiative during World War II that helped Americans send items to their loved ones at war. The word “laser” stands for “Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation,” and “scuba” stands for “Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus.”
