host

[ hohst ]

/ hoʊst /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR host ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person who receives or entertains guests at home or elsewhere: the host at a theater party.

a master of ceremonies, moderator, or interviewer for a television or radio program.

a person, place, company, or the like, that provides services, resources, etc., as for a convention or sporting event: Our city would like to serve as host for the next Winter Olympics.

the landlord of an inn.

a living animal or plant from which a parasite obtains nutrition.

Surgery. the recipient of a graft.Compare donor(def 2).

verb (used with object)

to be the host at (a dinner, reception, etc.): He hosted a reception for new members.

to act as host to: The vice president hosted the foreign dignitaries during their visit.

to act as master of ceremonies, moderator, or interviewer for: to host a popular talk show.

verb (used without object)

to perform the duties or functions of a host.

Nearby words

hospitalize, hospitaller, hospitalman, hospitium, hospodar, host, host computer, host-specific, hosta, hostage, hostel

Origin of host

1250–1300; Middle English (h)oste (noun) < Middle French < Latin hospit- (stem of hospes) host, guest, stranger, perhaps < *hosti-pot(i)s or *hos-pot(i)s, equivalent to hos(ti)- combining form of hostis stranger (see host²) + -pot(i)s, akin to potis having the power to, posse to be able (see potent¹) (hence, “one granting hospitality, one in charge of guests”); compare, with different initial elements, Greek despótēs master, despot, Lithuanian viẽšpats lord

Related forms

host·less, adjectivehost·ship, noun

Definition for host (2 of 3)

host

[ hohst ]

/ hoʊst /

noun

a multitude or great number of persons or things: a host of details.

an army.

Origin of host

1250–1300; Middle English (h)oste < Old French < Latin hostis stranger, enemy; akin to guest

SYNONYMS FOR host

1 swarm, crowd, drove, throng, horde, myriad.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR host ON THESAURUS.COM

Definition for host (3 of 3)

Host

[ hohst ]

/ hoʊst /

noun Ecclesiastical.

the bread or wafer consecrated in the celebration of the Eucharist.

Origin of Host

1275–1325; Middle English hoste < Late Latin hostia Eucharistic wafer (Latin: victim, sacrifice); replacing Middle English oyst < Middle French oiste < Late Latin, as above

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for host

Kyle Dietrich, 36, is a host of one of the DC Dinner Parties.
Everyone at This Dinner Party Has Lost Someone|Samantha Levine|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
NBC News boss Deborah Turness abruptly ousted the ‘Meet the Press’ host four months ago.
David Gregory's 'Meet the Press' Eviction Exposed in Washingtonian Takedown|Lloyd Grove|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Doug McIntyre is host of McIntyre in the Morning on KABC radio in Los Angeles.
The Disaster Story That Hollywood Had Coming|Doug McIntyre|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Stephen Colbert, Amy Poehler, Steve Carell, and a host of others got their start with the improv troupe.
The Ladies of Second City Read Grindr Hookup Messages|Jack Holmes, The Daily Beast Video|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST

“It's super boring to see people sit around and draw grids all day,” show host Ryan Devlin host explained on a reddit AMA.
I Want to See Your Spreadsheets, Baby: MTV’s ‘Are You the One?’ Is a Mathematical Orgy|Brandy Zadrozny|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
"Never," replied our host in such a way that any but a fool must have understood that he desired nothing less than such a meeting.
Bardelys the Magnificent|Rafael Sabatini
The host, with a sudden gesture, tore off his mask and the Burglar accelerated his pace.
The Chase of the Golden Plate|Jacques Futrelle
As your host for the evening, I invite you to go to the drawing-room and dance something a little more modern than the minuet.
Peter Cotterell's Treasure|Rupert Sargent Holland
"Some of them make me feel as if I abused it," said Nick, looking at his host.
The Tragic Muse|Henry James
In their season they are better than a host of happy ones, and there is joy at the root of all.
Thomas Wingfold, Curate|George MacDonald

British Dictionary definitions for host (1 of 3)

host

/ (həʊst) /

noun

a person who receives or entertains guests, esp in his own home

a country or organization which provides facilities for and receives visitors to an event
(as modifier)the host nation

the compere of a show or television programme

biology

an animal or plant that nourishes and supports a parasite
an animal, esp an embryo, into which tissue is experimentally grafted

computing a computer connected to a network and providing facilities to other computers and their users

the owner or manager of an inn

verb

to be the host of (a party, programme, etc)to host one's own show

(tr) US informal to leave (a restaurant) without paying the bill

Word Origin for host

C13: from French hoste, from Latin hospes guest, foreigner, from hostis enemy

British Dictionary definitions for host (2 of 3)

host

/ (həʊst) /

noun

a great number; multitude

an archaic word for army

Word Origin for host

C13: from Old French hoste, from Latin hostis stranger, enemy

British Dictionary definitions for host (3 of 3)

Host

/ (həʊst) /

noun

the bread consecrated in the Eucharist

Word Origin for Host

C14: from Old French oiste, from Latin hostia victim

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for host

host

[ hōst ]

n.

The animal or plant on which or in which a parasitic organism lives.

The recipient of a transplanted tissue or organ.

Science definitions for host

host

[ hōst ]

The larger of two organisms in a symbiotic relationship.
An organism or cell on or in which a parasite lives or feeds.♦ A definitive host is an organism in which a parasite reaches sexual maturity. The anopheles mosquito is the definitive host for the malaria plasmodium because, while the mosquito is not adversely affected by the plasmodium's presence, it is the organism in which the plasmodium matures and reproduces.♦ An intermediate host is an organism in which a parasite develops but does not attain sexual maturity. Humans and certain other vertebrates are the intermediate host of the malaria plasmodium.♦ A paratenic host is an organism which may be required for the completion of a parasite's life cycle but in which no development of the parasite occurs. The unhatched eggs of nematodes are sometimes carried in a paratenic host such as a bird or rodent. When a predator eats the paratenic host, the eggs are ingested as well.

The recipient of a transplanted tissue or organ.

A computer containing data or programs that another computer can access by means of a network or modem.