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infirmary

infirmary

123 4.1
A room in a place like a school where sick or injured people get care
  • noun
  • /ɪnˈfɜrməri/
translation icon : enfermería
  • After falling and injuring his leg, the coach took him straight to the infirmary for treatment.
  • work in the infirmary
  • ear infirmary
  • eye and ear infirmary

Jace wakes up in the Infirmary, Isabel and Alec are waiting for him.

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Examples

Synonyms

sickroom
vsinfirmary
1 3.2

A room where an ill person stays to rest and get care

serves institutions to care for several ill or injured people

How Medical

hospital
1.0
clinic
964 2.8
infirmary
123 4.1
sickroom
1 3.2

Surface Forms

infirmary singular
infirmaries plural

Morphology

infirmary = infirm (transparent) = infirm + ary

The noun is formed from the adjective 'infirm' with the productive suffix '-ary' to denote a place or institution for the infirm, so the meaning follows directly from the base.

Etymology

The word infirmary comes from the Latin parts in- 'not' and firmus 'strong', and it is related to the English words infirm and firm. So an infirmary is literally a place for people who are 'not strong', which is why it is a room or building where the sick and injured get care.