ysbyty

Ysbyty is the Welsh word for hospital. In Wales, the term denotes a medical facility that provides inpatient and outpatient services and is commonly used in everyday language as well as in official names. Hospitals in Wales operate within NHS Wales and are managed by regional health boards, reflecting the country’s bilingual policy and commitment to public health.

The word derives from Latin hospitium via the Old French hôpital, entering Welsh in the medieval period. The root refers to a place of hospitality for travellers, the sick, or pilgrims, and the toponymic use of ysbyty in place-names often marks historic hospices or charitable institutions along routes.

Notable examples of toponymy include Ysbyty Ifan, a village in Conwy County Borough, whose name recalls a medieval hospice associated with Ifan (John) and local religious foundations. Other Welsh toponymic uses include the Welsh hospital names, such as Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor and Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in Bodelwyddan, reflecting how the term is used today in modern institutions.

In signage and education, “Ysbyty” is used to label facilities and toponymy, reinforcing the bilingual character of public life in Wales. The plural form is ysbytai.