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hospitalize

UK[ˈhɒspɪtəlaɪz]US[ˈhɑːspɪtəlaɪz]
v

to take someone to a hospital and keep them there for treatment.

Morpheme Breakdown

hospital
ize
hospital

place for treatment

ize

verb-forming suffix

Etymology

the word 'hospitalize' is a modern formation, built upon the much older noun 'hospital'. the noun 'hospital' itself originates from the latin 'hospitale', a derivative of 'hospes' meaning 'host' or 'guest', reflecting its early function as a place of shelter for travelers and the needy. the suffix '-ize', borrowed from greek '-izein' via latin and french, is a prolific verb-forming element in english meaning 'to make or become'. therefore, the literal construction 'hospital-ize' logically means 'to make (someone) enter a hospital' or 'to subject to hospital care', a meaning that emerged with the modern professionalization of medical treatment in institutional settings.

Analysis

Structure: hospital (place for treatment) + ize (verb-forming suffix) - hospital: from latin 'hospitale' meaning 'guest-house, inn', via old french. in this word, it functions as the base noun denoting the institution. - ize: a suffix of greek origin (via latin -izare) used to form verbs meaning 'to make, to render, to subject to a process'.

Examples

the accident was severe enough to hospitalize three people.

doctors may choose to hospitalize a patient if their symptoms worsen.

she was hospitalized for two weeks following the surgery.

hospitalize – Meaning, Etymology & Word Origin | OpenEtymology