leprosarium

[ lep-ruh-sair-ee-uhm ]

noun

, plural lep·ro·sar·i·a [lep-r, uh, -, sair, -ee-, uh].

1. a hospital for the treatment of lepers.

leprosarium

/ ˌlɛprəˈsɛərɪəm /

noun

1. a hospital or other centre for the treatment or care of lepers

Word History and Origins

Origin of leprosarium¹

From Medieval Latin, dating back to 1840–50; leprous, -ary

Word History and Origins

Origin of leprosarium¹

C20: from Medieval Latin: see leper

Example Sentences

Founded in 1894 on the grounds of an abandoned sugar plantation, the 330 acres of the institution were well-manicured with neatly mown lawns, flowering bushes, ornate gardens, a lake, a golf course, and sprawling fields amid the Victorian-style dorms, covered walkways, and numerous amenities that made Carville look more like a prep school than a leprosarium.

From Salon

From 1849 to 1999, Carville National Leprosarium, a federal institution in rural Louisiana now known as the Gillis W. Long Hansen's Disease Center, was the only inpatient hospital in the continental United States for the treatment of Hansen's Disease, commonly known as leprosy.

From Salon

“This is the leprosarium,” Miss Maggie said as she led us to the steps of the big building among the cottages.

From Literature

We all knew that he’d send for the police in Falmouth and then, with his next breath, begin to spread the news that Mr. Sloan had been held captive in the leprosarium by a mysterious southerner.

From Literature

Local people called his leprosarium, or hospital for leprosy patients, “Kivuvu,” or “place of hope.”

From Washington Post