policlinic
Jul. 30th, 2012 07:22 ampoliclinic or polyclinic (pol-ee-KLIN-ik) - n., the department of a hospital that treats outpatients.
Especially in European hospitals. Where an outpatient is someone who does not stay overnight. The original sense was a clinic held in a private house, that is, a bedside visit, as opposed to in the hospital, but the sense has transferred. Borrowed in 1827 from German Poliklinik, from Greek polis, city + Klinik, clinic, from Greek klinikos, of the bed, from kline, bed, couch.
---L.
Especially in European hospitals. Where an outpatient is someone who does not stay overnight. The original sense was a clinic held in a private house, that is, a bedside visit, as opposed to in the hospital, but the sense has transferred. Borrowed in 1827 from German Poliklinik, from Greek polis, city + Klinik, clinic, from Greek klinikos, of the bed, from kline, bed, couch.
---L.