Phrase guide

lazar house

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

Synonym of leprosery: A building used to house lepers, usually in permanent quarantine from the rest of society.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic

Examples

  • 15th c., William of Worcester, “The Rolle of Sencte Bartholemeweis Priorie” cited in William Barrett, The History and Antiquities of the City of Bristol, 1789, p. 429, These bee alle the bookes ynne the ache Camberre & of the reste of the Lazar house bee cellis & beddis for the Lazars, beeynge manie in number [...]
  • 1965, Richard Howard (translator), Madness and Civilization by Michel Foucault (1961), New York: Random House, Chapter 1, “Stultifera Navis”, The lazar house of Nancy, which was among the largest in Europe, had only four inmates during the regency of Marie de Médicis.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: leprosery

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A hospital or lazaret for quarantining patients suffering highly infectious diseases.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, figuratively

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

hospital for persons with infectious diseases (especially leprosy)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lazaretto, lazaret, lazarette, pesthouse

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: hospital, infirmary

History

Etymology

From lazar + house.