guest

¹ American  

[gest] / gɛst /

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.

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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 American  

[gest] / gɛst /

noun

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

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guest British  

/ 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

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verb

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

   to guest on a show

guest Idioms  

1. see be my guest.

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Related Words

See visitor.

Other Word Forms

• guestless adjective

Etymology

Origin of guest

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

Explanation

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."

Example Sentences

More: Global chaos has become a permanent guest in your portfolio.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

Luke Goebel is a guest on the panel “It Goes All the Way to the Top: Crime Organizations, Conspiracies and Secret Societies in Fiction” moderated by Oline Cogdill and featuring fellow authors Ace Atkins, S.A.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

A cherished moment for the pair came as a result of another long-standing tradition, where previous champions are allowed to invite a guest for 18 holes.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

Whether because audiences simply enjoy techno-optimism or because a friendly position helps with guest booking, it does seem like non-adversarial tech coverage is a rocket ship right now.

From Slate • Apr. 7, 2026

“I can find a private guest room for you to stay in tonight, if you wish to be undisturbed this evening.”

From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

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