Etymology Map
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Sanatorium

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means an institution for the treatment of long-term illness

Where does the word "sanatorium" come from? It comes from Latin sānāre, passing through Modern Latin before entering English (1830s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
sānāre
Latin · ancient
"to heal"
to heal, from 'sānus', healthy
2
Stage 2 of 3
sanatorium
Modern Latin · 1800s
"healing place"
tuberculosis sanatoria spread in the mountain air of places like Davos, the setting of Thomas Mann's 1924 novel 'The Magic Mountain'
3
Stage 3 of 3
sanatorium
English · 1830s
"health institution"
used for health resorts, then clinics
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Read the full story

Sanatorium’s story begins in Latin: sānāre meant “to heal.” To heal, from 'sānus', healthy. By 1800s, the word had taken hold in Modern Latin as sanatorium. Tuberculosis sanatoria spread in the mountain air of places like Davos, the setting of Thomas Mann's 1924 novel 'The Magic Mountain'. It reached English by 1830s as sanatorium. Used for health resorts, then clinics. Today, sanatorium means an institution for the treatment of long-term illness.