Etymology From Middle English hoste, from Old French oste (French: hôte), from Latin hospitem, accusative of hospes (“a host, also a sojourner, visitor, guest; hence, a foreigner, a stranger”), from *hostipotis, an old compound of hostis and the root of potis, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰóstipotis (“master of guests”), from *gʰóstis (“stranger, guest, enemy”) and *pótis (“owner, master, host, husband”). Used in English since 13th century.
One which receives or entertains a guest, socially, commercially, or officially.
A good host is always considerate of the guest’s needs.
Time is like a fashionable host, / That slightly shakes his parting guest by the hand.c. 1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iii]:
2
One that provides a facility for an event.
3
A person or organization responsible for running an event.
Our company is host of the annual conference this year.
4
A moderator or master of ceremonies for a performance.
The host was terrible, but the acts themselves were good.
5
The primary member of a system, typically the member who fronts most often.
Biology, Ecology, Natural sciences A cell or organism which harbors another organism or biological entity, usually a parasite.
Viruses depend on the host that they infect in order to be able to reproduce.
A recent study explored the ecological variables that may contribute to bats’ propensity to harbor such zoonotic diseases by comparing them with another order of common reservoir hosts: rodents.2013 May-June, Katie L. Burke, “In the News”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, page 193:
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Biology, Genetics, Medicine, Natural sciences, Sciences An organism bearing certain genetic material, with respect to its cells.
The so-called junk DNA is known, so far, to provide no apparent benefit to its host.
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A paid male companion offering conversation and in some cases sex, as in certain types of bar in Japan.
Etymology From Middle English hoste, from Old French oste (French: hôte), from Latin hospitem, accusative of hospes (“a host, also a sojourner, visitor, guest; hence, a foreigner, a stranger”), from *hostipotis, an old compound of hostis and the root of potis, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰóstipotis (“master of guests”), from *gʰóstis (“stranger, guest, enemy”) and *pótis (“owner, master, host, husband”). Used in English since 13th century.
1
To perform the role of a host.
Our company will host the annual conference this year.
I was terrible at hosting that show.
3 more examples
I’ll be hosting tonight. I hope I’m not terrible.
I am quite impressed with the December 10th issue in which it hosted the article by Nancy Langer, "Different Abilities, the Same Queer Pleasures."1984 February 4, Suzan Bedrosian, “Sex Lives”, in Gay Community News, volume 11, number 28, page 4:
Bats host many high-profile viruses that can infect humans, including severe acute respiratory syndrome and Ebola.2013 May-June, Katie L. Burke, “In the News”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, page 193:
Where you shall host.c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene v]:
CMU/TEK TCP/IP software uses an excessive amount of cpu resources for terminal support both outbound, when accessing another system, and inbound, when the local system is hosting a session.1987 May 7, Selden E. Ball, Jr., “Re: Ethernet Terminal Concentrators”, in comp.protocols.tcp-ip (Usenet):
Etymology From Middle English oost, borrowed from Old French ost, oste, hoste, from Latin hostis (“foreign enemy”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰóstis (as opposed to inimicus (“personal enemy”)). Doublet of guest.
1
A multitude of people arrayed as an army; used also in religious senses, as: Heavenly host (of angels)
Why, Plugson, even thy own host is all in mutiny: Cotton is conquered; but the ‘bare backs’ — are worse covered than ever!1843 April, Thomas Carlyle, “ch. X, Plugson of Undershot”, in Past and Present, American edition, Boston, Mass.: Charles C[offin] Little and James Brown, published 1843, →OCLC, book III (The Modern Worker):
All about the hosts of Mordor raged.1955 October 20, J[ohn] R[onald] R[euel] Tolkien, “chapter 4, The Field of Cormallen”, in The Return of the King: Being the Third Part of The Lord of the Rings […], New York, N.Y.: Ballantine Books, published December 1978, →ISBN:
2 more examples
By Lady Day the Scriptorium was ready to receive the "copying and burrowing" of the host of readers who had been directed by Furnivall for the past twenty years.1977, K.M. Elizabeth Murray, Caught in the Web of Words, Oxford: Oxford University Press, page 173:
the invading host that had sailed from Hellas in more than one thousand ships was of an unprecedented size.2001, Carlos Parada, Hesione 2, Greek Mythology Link:
2
A large number of items; a large inventory.
The dealer stocks a host of parts for my Model A.
There are a host of reasons for this decision.
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I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; […]1802, William Wordsworth, I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud:
A short time since, some friends drinking tea one summer evening at their residence near Maidenhead, with all the windows of the drawing-room open, there suddenly burst in a host of small flies, which covered the table and the furniture […]1836, The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction:
England ran Tunisia ragged in that spell but were punished for missing a host of chances when Ferjani Sassi equalised from the penalty spot against the run of play after Kyle Walker was penalised for an elbow on Fakhreddine Ben Youssef.2018 June 18, Phil McNulty, “Tunisia 1 – 2 England”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 21 Apr 2019:
In the immediate term, there is a host of new operating procedures to be developed and to become familiarised with, in accordance with social distancing.2020 July 29, Ian Prosser discusses with Paul Stephen, “Rail needs robust and strategic plans”, in Rail, page 38:
Derived terms
heavenly host, Lord of Hosts
host
noun
Etymology From Middle English host, oist, ost, from Old French hoiste, from Latin hostia (“sacrificial victim”). Doublet of hostie.
1
Christianity The consecrated bread of the Eucharist.
Do you pray to the Holy Ghost when you suck your host? / Do you read who's dead in the Irish Post?1978, John Lydon, “Religion II”, performed by Public Image Ltd.: