hospice

Meaning

Noun

• A lodging for pilgrims or the destitute, normally provided by a monastic order.
• The provision of palliative care for terminally ill patients, either at a specialized facility or at a residence, and support for the family, typically refraining from taking extraordinary measures to prolong life.
• A specialized facility or organization offering palliative care for the terminally ill.

Origin

• Borrowed from French hospice, from Old French hospise, from Latin hospitium ("hospitality, an inn").