a person who spends some time at another person's home in some social activity, as a visit, dinner, or party.
a person who receives the hospitality of a club, a city, or the like.
a person who patronizes a hotel, restaurant, etc., for the lodging, food, or entertainment it provides.
an often well-known person invited to participate or perform in a regular program, series, etc., as a substitute for a regular member or as a special attraction.
Zoology. an inquiline.
provided for or done by a guest.
a guest towel; a guest column for a newspaper.
participating or performing as a guest.
a guest conductor.
a person who is entertained, taken out to eat, etc, and paid for by another
a person who receives hospitality at the home of another
a weekend guest
( as modifier )
the guest room
a person who receives the hospitality of a government, establishment, or organization
( as modifier )
a guest speaker
an actor, contestant, entertainer, etc, taking part as a visitor in a programme in which there are also regular participants
( as modifier )
a guest appearance
a patron of a hotel, boarding house, restaurant, etc
zoology a nontechnical name for inquiline
informal do as you like
See visitor.
First recorded before 900; Middle English gest, from Old Norse gestr; replacing Old English gi(e)st; cognate with German Gast, Gothic gasts, Latin hostis; host 1, host 2
If you invite a friend to your home, she is your guest. You might announce to your parents that you've invited seven guests for Thanksgiving. Someone who's visiting, or who's been asked to come, is a guest. If your next door neighbor comes over for lunch, she's a guest, and every one of the two hundred people you invite to a wedding is also a guest. You're often referred to as a guest when you stay at a hotel, too. The Old English root of guest is gæst, "a stranger" or "an accidental guest."
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But he had come to love the baby, and he allowed his new wife to stay in his guest house.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026
The investments so far have led to 20 consecutive quarters of same-store sales growth and to higher guest satisfaction in surveys, Caldwell said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
He made guest appearances on several programmes including Animal Magic.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
“Additional updates throughout the home include refinished hardwood floors, fresh interior paint, new carpeting, and a remodeled guest bathroom,” the description noted.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
She knew that I’d had to do a recap session, and she didn’t want me advertising my less than stellar track record in front of our guest.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
Guest: Andrea Bernstein, investigative reporter and the co-host of four podcasts, including Trump Inc.
From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2026
This year’s hotel guest-satisfaction score on a 1,000-point scale, according to the latest North American Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study from JD Power.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
"At the moment, the list of things that you need to be concerned about is unfortunately quite long, making it feel really hard to control," Guest said.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
Guest: Sam Adams, Slate senior writer and editor.
From Slate ● Jul. 3, 2026
And why was Mrs. Guest sending all the white children and the Indian children home right off like that?
From "Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis
Members of Trump's cabinet, South Carolina lawmakers and other guests also assembled for the ceremony, and to listen to tributes to Graham's military service and more than three decades in Congress after humble beginnings.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
A few seconds later, Dave Winfield joined the trio for a picture before Baker and his wife began to mingle with other Hall of Famers and guests.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
Upon entering the property, guests are greeted with an expansive floor plan that is accentuated by the bright furniture and unique ceiling structures.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
“Cracker Barrel is a truly iconic American brand, defined by its unique combination of warm country hospitality, timeless appeal, and deep connection with guests across generations,” Deno said in a statement.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
To do so would only make her disappointment that much worse when, day after day, the longed-for guests failed and failed and failed yet again to arrive.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
Gorsuch spoke at the presidential libraries of Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan and guested on Firing Line, a PBS opinion show hosted by the conservative commentator Margaret Hoover.
From Slate ● Oct. 4, 2024
"Richard Belzer was one of the most kindest and welcoming actors when I guested on two episodes of Law and Order: SVU," tweeted Marlee Matlin.
From Salon ● Feb. 19, 2023
London has frequently collaborated with the artist now known as Ye, who produced and guested on 2014′s “Vibes.”
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 4, 2023
Martin guested on three of the six episodes of Short’s NBC variety series “Maya and Marty,” and sat down with Short’s absurd and insulting celebrity interviewer Jiminy Glick.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2022
Sansa remembered Lord Yohn Royce, who had guested at Winterfell two years before.
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
She reminded the men that the panel they were guesting on had nothing to do with foreign policy.
From Slate ● Nov. 19, 2025
They also appeared regularly on television, making specials and guesting on various shows.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 7, 2024
“My day was always better for having passed through the Earwolf studios, whether it’s hosting or guesting, whatever.”
From The Verge ● Mar. 22, 2022
Before Run the Jewels, Killer Mike was a satellite member of Outkast’s Dungeon Family collective, guesting on other people’s hits and releasing a few near-hits of his own.
From New York Times ● May 26, 2020
And since his own lord had exiled him and his story went before him, none would take him in, but after the three days’ guesting all sent him from their doors as an outlaw.
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
