Meaning & use

nosocomial

adjective·Advanced

Originating or acquired in a hospital, especially referring to infections.

See it in a sentence

The patient developed a nosocomial infection during her extended stay in the ICU.

Hospitals track nosocomial infection rates closely to improve sanitation practices.

A note on using this word

Nosocomial is a specialized medical term; outside clinical writing, 'hospital-acquired' is the clearer, more accessible equivalent.

Words with a similar meaning

hospital-acquired

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

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