hostess

American  

[hoh-stis] / ˈhoʊ stɪs /

noun

• hostesses
  plural

1. a woman who receives and entertains guests in her own home or elsewhere.

2. a woman employed in a restaurant or place of amusement to receive, seat, or assist patrons.

3. a woman who acts as master of ceremonies, moderator, or interviewer for a television or radio program; host.

4. a woman employed by an airline, railroad, bus company, etc., to see that passengers are comfortable throughout a trip, usually receiving and seating them, and sometimes serving them refreshments.

5. a woman who manages a resort or hotel or who directs its social activities.

6. taxi dancer.

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verb (used with object)

1. to be the hostess at (a reception, dinner, etc.).

   She will hostess a shower for the new bride.

2. to act as hostess at, to, or for.

   She volunteered to hostess the garden club next season.

verb (used without object)

1. to perform the duties or functions of a hostess.

hostess British  

/ ˈhəʊstɪs /

noun

1. a woman acting as host

2. a woman who receives and entertains patrons of a club, restaurant, etc

3. See air hostess

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Gender

See -ess.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• hostess-ship
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• hostesses
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of hostess

1250–1300; Middle English ( h ) ostesse < Old French. See host ¹, -ess

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hostess hostesses

A no-holds-barred interview with US talk show hostess Oprah Winfrey also deepened the rift.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

In Kim Eunho’s 1927 ink and color painting on silk, “Woman Reading the Fortune of the Day,” a hostess in traditional hanbok dress whiles away her break with gaming tiles as a cigarette smolders nearby.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 6, 2026

The hostess working the front desk at the bar compliments my hair, which, to be honest, is in desperate need of a cut.

From Slate ● Jun. 2, 2026

Later, at a post-match reception at the home of a wealthy local white family, the team lined up to meet the hostess.

From BBC ● May 27, 2026

But the Mansfields were already there, so she had to put on her hostess face and ignore Lily's casual clothes for the time being.

From "It All Comes Down to This" by Karen English

Speak to enough hosts and hostesses, and you soon learn how the best often share a thoughtfulness for detail.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026

These nightclubs were frequented by activists, diplomats, politicians, air hostesses and young people.

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2023

The complaint states that the plaintiff and other hostesses reported the incident to supervisors, who said they would investigate and provide updates.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2023

I signed up with the agencies that Forza Italia used to hire hostesses for its rallies, which borrowed the American political term "conventions."

From Salon ● Jun. 18, 2023

Headed for bed, she added, “Happy landings, as the hostesses say! Certainly wish you all had been with me.”

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield

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