WordValehospice
care focused on comfort for the terminally ill
In more detail
1. (noun) a facility that provides care and comfort to people who are terminally ill, focusing on pain relief and emotional support rather than curing the disease
2. (noun) the type of care given to dying patients that emphasizes comfort and quality of life
Examples
- 1. She spent her final weeks at a hospice where nurses helped manage her pain.
- 2. The family chose hospice care when doctors said there was no hope of recovery.
How to use hospice
Hospice refers both to a physical facility and to a philosophy of care emphasizing comfort over curative treatment for terminally ill patients. It is used in medical and personal contexts to discuss end-of-life arrangements and typically carries compassionate connotations. The term is distinct from general medical care in its explicit focus on quality of life rather than prolonging life.
Common phrases
- enter hospice
- admit to hospice
- hospice care
- hospice patient
- hospice worker
- move into hospice
Synonyms
palliative care facility · end-of-life care center · comfort care facility
Word family
hospice care (noun phrase) · hospice worker (noun phrase)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse hospice with hospital or assume it is only for the very last days of life, when in fact hospice care can span weeks or months and requires a prognosis of six months or less.
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