guest

¹

[gest]

noun

1. a person who spends some time at another person's home in some social activity, as a visit, dinner, or party.

   Synonyms: company

2. a person who receives the hospitality of a club, a city, or the like.

3. a person who patronizes a hotel, restaurant, etc., for the lodging, food, or entertainment it provides.

4. 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.

5. Zoology.,  an inquiline.

verb (used with object)

1. to entertain as a guest.

verb (used without object)

1. to be a guest; make an appearance as a guest.

   She's been guesting on all the TV talk shows.

adjective

1. provided for or done by a guest.

   a guest towel; a guest column for a newspaper.

2. participating or performing as a guest.

   a guest conductor.

Guest

²

[gest]

noun

1. Edgar A(lbert), 1881–1959, U.S. journalist and writer of verse, born in England.

guest

/ ɡɛst /

noun

1. a person who is entertained, taken out to eat, etc, and paid for by another

2. 1. a person who receives hospitality at the home of another

      a weekend guest

   2. ( as modifier )

      the guest room

3. 1. a person who receives the hospitality of a government, establishment, or organization

   2. ( as modifier )

      a guest speaker

4. 1. an actor, contestant, entertainer, etc, taking part as a visitor in a programme in which there are also regular participants

   2. ( as modifier )

      a guest appearance

5. a patron of a hotel, boarding house, restaurant, etc

6. zoology a nontechnical name for inquiline

7. informal,  do as you like

verb

1. (intr) (in theatre and broadcasting) to be a guest

   to guest on a show

Other Word Forms

• guestless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of guest¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of guest¹

Old English giest guest, stranger, enemy; related to Old Norse gestr, Gothic gasts, Old High German gast, Old Slavonic gostǐ, Latin hostis enemy

Idioms and Phrases

see be my guest.

Synonym Study

See visitor.

Example Sentences

“We’ve spent the year preparing to welcome our guests with smoother experiences throughout the airport.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Upon entering the home, guests are greeted with an expansive living room that is adorned with carpet flooring and features wood beams on the ceiling.

Read more on MarketWatch

Addressing guests during the torch ceremony at the Olympia archaeological museum as the first woman to head the Olympic movement, a tearful Coventry stressed the power of sport to unite.

Read more on Barron's

A Chinese chef prepared lunches for the staff and guests.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Scribble down your guest list with dietary quirks.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• caller 
• client 
• companion 
• customer 
• inmate 
• patron 
• recipient 
• tenant 
• vacationer 
• visitor