hospicio
/osˈpiθjo/masculine
The Spanish word for hospice is hospicio.
hospicio is a masculine noun used to refer to a facility or organization offering palliative care for the terminally ill.
Meaning: a facility or organization offering palliative care for the terminally ill (noun)
Which one should you use?
While hospicio refers to the facility, cuidados paliativos is the term used to describe the actual medical care provided to terminally ill patients.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /osˈpiθjo/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers should be careful because hospicio in many Spanish-speaking contexts can historically refer to an almshouse or a shelter for the poor/orphans, rather than strictly a medical hospice facility.
Did you know?
- The Latin root hospes is unique because it could mean both 'host' and 'guest', reflecting the reciprocal nature of hospitality.
- In older Spanish literature, a hospicio was often a religious foundation rather than a medical one, focusing on spiritual salvation over physical healing.
- The term hospicio belongs to a family of words that includes huésped, the Spanish word for 'guest'.
Examples in context
- El hospicio se enfoca en brindar cuidados paliativos a pacientes terminales, mejorando su calidad de vida en el último periodo.Hospice focuses on providing palliative care to terminal patients, improving their quality of life in the final period.
- El hospicio ofrece cuidados paliativos.The hospice offers palliative care.
- Ella trabaja en un hospicio local.She works in a local hospice.
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are discussing care options for a family member.
- JavierNecesitamos encontrar un buen hospicio para él.We need to find a good hospice for him.
- LucíaConozco un hospicio con personal muy amable.I know a hospice with very kind staff.
- Javier¿Está ese lugar lejos de aquí?Is that place far from here?
- LucíaNo, está a solo diez minutos.No, it is only ten minutes away.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hospice” translations and entries hospicio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hospicio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
