hostess

[ hoh-stis ]
See synonyms for hostess on Thesaurus.com
noun
  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.

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

  2. 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.

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

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.

Origin of hostess

1
1250–1300; Middle English (h)ostesse<Old French. See host1, -ess

usage note For hostess

See -ess.

Other words from hostess

  • hostess-ship, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use hostess in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for hostess

hostess

/ (ˈhəʊstɪs) /


noun
  1. a woman acting as host

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

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