hospitality

American  

[hos-pi-tal-i-tee] / ˌhɒs pɪˈtæl ɪ ti /

noun

• hospitalities
  plural

1. the friendly reception and treatment of guests or strangers.

   Hospitality at the hotel is fantastic, with staff who offered us refreshing drinks and comfortable chairs while we waited to check in.

2. the quality or disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly, generous way.

   In many cultures, hospitality plays a significant role in social interactions, as individuals are often judged by their ability to extend kindness and generosity toward others.

   Synonyms:

   friendliness, geniality, cordiality, warmth

3. the business or act of providing accommodation, food, drink, and other services to guests (often used attributively).

   She has held several executive-level positions in hospitality.

   This course will appeal to students who want to make a career for themselves in the hospitality industry.

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hospitality British  

/ ˌhɒspɪˈtælɪtɪ /

noun

1. kindness in welcoming strangers or guests

2. receptiveness

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• hospitalities
  plural

Etymology

Origin of hospitality

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English hospitalite, from Middle French, from Latin hospitālitās, from hospitāli(s) “of a guest, hospitable” ( see hospital) + -tās -ty ²

Explanation

A reputation for hospitality means you're known for being kind and welcoming to visitors, which may also mean that you always have a full house at Thanksgiving. Hospitalitem is a Latin word meaning "friendliness to guests," so it's not hard to see where the word hospitality comes from. Showing hospitality involves making others feel comfortable and welcome in your home. If you're grumpy and prefer to be left alone, this word probably won't ever be used to describe you, nor are you likely headed for a career in the hospitality industry.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hospitality hospitalities

"We're really positive by the end of the week we'll have some happy hospitality businesses," he said.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

The lack of new labor supply could be contributing to a shortage of labor, at least in some industries such as leisure and hospitality.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026

Figures on Wednesday showed hiring in the US private sector was significantly below expectations in July, with industries like leisure and hospitality shedding jobs.

From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026

The gaming and hospitality operator on Tuesday posted a second-quarter profit of $140.1 million, or $1.32 a share, compared with a profit of $66.2 million, or 64 cents a share, a year earlier.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Mrs. Diamant left a note, thanking Mrs. Nowak for her hospitality; I shut the door without noise and hurried them down the dark road.

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron

“I would love to see us kind of have more of an F1-style approach to a race weekend and how we host hospitalities, parties, just all those things,” Hamlin said.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 21, 2021

We were sad to leave the Senn residence, and thankful for their kind hospitalities, vowing to come soon for another visit.

From Time Magazine Archive

His allowance enabled him to play his part in the hospitalities of University life with credit, and he showed no disposition to exceed it.

From Peter Binney A Novel by Marshall, Archibald

Besides his acquaintance with Governor Wentworth at Portsmouth, he had also on visits with his wife to Boston, been introduced to Governor Gage and several of the British officers, and had partaken of their hospitalities.

From The Loyalists of Massachusetts And the Other Side of the American Revolution by Stark, James H.

It was by Baron Lionel that the Rothschild hospitalities were begun on the scale on which they have since continued.

From Social Transformations of the Victorian Age A Survey of Court and Country by Escott, T. H. S. (Thomas Hay Sweet)

Related Words

• accommodation
• companionship
• friendliness
• generosity
• reception
• warmth