host

host

synonyms, antonyms, definitions, examples & translations of host in English

English Online Dictionary. What means host‎? What does host mean?

English

Alternative forms

  • hoast (obsolete)

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /həʊst/
  • (General American) IPA(key): /hoʊst/
  • Rhymes: -əʊst

Etymology 1

    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.

    Noun

    host (plural hosts)

    1. One which receives or entertains a guest, socially, commercially, or officially.
    2. One that provides a facility for an event.
    3. A person or organization responsible for running an event.
    4. A moderator or master of ceremonies for a performance.
      Synonym: (UK) presenter
    5. (computing, Internet) Any computer attached to a network.
    6. (ecology) A cell or organism which harbors another organism or biological entity, usually a parasite.
    7. (evolution, genetics) An organism bearing certain genetic material, with respect to its cells.
    8. A paid male companion offering conversation and in some cases sex, as in certain types of bar in Japan.
    Hyponyms
    • (computing): localhost
    Derived terms
    Related terms
    • hotel
    • hospitable
    • hospital
    • hospitality
    Translations

    Verb

    host (third-person singular simple present hosts, present participle hosting, simple past and past participle hosted)

    1. To perform the role of a host.
    2. (obsolete, intransitive) To lodge at an inn.
    3. (computing, Internet) To run software made available to a remote user or process.
    Derived terms
    • self-host
    Translations

    See also

    • compere
    • guest
    • event
    • master of ceremonies

    Etymology 2

    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.

    Noun

    host (plural hosts)

    2. A multitude of people arrayed as an army; used also in religious senses, as: Heavenly host (of angels)
    3. A large number of items; a large inventory.
    Derived terms
    • heavenly host
    • Lord of Hosts
    Translations

    Etymology 3

    From Middle English host, oist, ost, from Old French hoiste, from Latin hostia (“sacrificial victim”). Doublet of hostie.

    Noun

    host (plural hosts)

    1. (Christianity) The consecrated bread of the Eucharist.
    Derived terms
    • host desecration
    Translations

    See also

    • hostage

    Anagrams

    • HOTs, Soth, TOSH, Thos., Tosh, hots, oths, shot, tosh

    Catalan

    Etymology

    Inherited from Old Catalan ost, from Latin hostis, from Proto-Italic *hostis, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰóstis (“guest, stranger”).

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): (Central, Balearic, Valencia) [ˈɔst]

    Noun

    host f (plural hosts)

    1. army, troops

    See also

    • exèrcit

    References

    • “host” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
    • “host”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2025
    • “host” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
    • “host” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

    Czech

    Etymology

    Inherited from Old Czech host, from Proto-Slavic *gostь.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): [ˈɦost]

    Noun

    host m anim (female equivalent hostka)

    1. guest

    Usage notes

    The archaic plural instrumental is hostmi.

    Declension

    Derived terms

    Related terms

    Further reading

    • “host”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
    • “host”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989
    • “host”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2025

    Dutch

    Etymology 1

    From English host.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ɦoːst/.
    • Rhymes: -ɔst

    Noun

    host m (plural hosts, diminutive hostje n)

    1. (computing) host
    Derived terms
    • hosten

    Etymology 2

    See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ɦɔst/

    Verb

    host

    1. inflection of hossen:
      1. second/third-person singular present indicative
      2. (archaic) plural imperative

    Norwegian Bokmål

    Etymology 1

    Related to hoste ("to cough").

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /hust/
    • Rhymes: -ust

    Noun

    host n (definite singular hostet, indefinite plural host, definite plural hosta or hostene)

    1. a single cough expulsion
    Usage notes
    • Prior to a 2020 spelling revision, this noun was also considered masculine.

    Etymology 2

    From English host.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /hɔust/
    • Rhymes: -ɔust

    Noun

    host m (definite singular hosten, indefinite plural hoster, definite plural hostene)

    1. (computing) host
    Synonyms
    • vertsmaskin

    Etymology 3

    Verb

    host

    1. imperative of hoste

    References

    • “host” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

    Norwegian Nynorsk

    Etymology 1

    Related to hosta, hoste ("to cough").

    Noun

    host n (definite singular hostet, indefinite plural host, definite plural hosta)

    1. a single cough expulsion

    Etymology 2

    From English host.

    Noun

    host m (definite singular hosten, indefinite plural hostar, definite plural hostane)

    1. (computing) host
    Synonyms
    • vertsmaskin

    Etymology 3

    Verb

    host

    1. imperative of hosta

    References

    • “host” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

    Old Czech

    Etymology

    Inherited from Proto-Slavic *gostь.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): (13th CE) /ˈɣost/
    • IPA(key): (15th CE) /ˈɦost/

    Noun

    host m pers (female equivalent hosti)

    1. guest
      host pocěstný ― a wayfarer
    2. foreigner

    Declension

    Derived terms

    Related terms

    Descendants

    • Czech: host

    Further reading

    • Jan Gebauer (1903–1916) “host”, in Slovník staročeský (in Czech), Prague: Česká grafická společnost "unie", Česká akademie císaře Františka Josefa pro vědy, slovesnost a umění

    Polish

    Etymology

    Borrowed from English host. Doublet of gość.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ˈxɔst/
    • Rhymes: -ɔst
    • Syllabification: host

    Noun

    host m inan

    1. (networking) host (computer attached to a network)

    Declension

    Noun

    host m pers (female equivalent hostessa)

    1. host, promotional model (person hired to greet customers and guests of a store, hotel, or institution, and advertise goods or provide assistance, giving the necessary information or pointing the way)

    Declension

    Noun

    host m pers

    1. (slang) host (owner of a house, apartment, or guesthouse, as opposed to people renting premises from them)
      Synonym: gospodarz

    Declension

    Further reading

    • host in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
    • host in Polish dictionaries at PWN

    Portuguese

    Etymology

    Unadapted borrowing from English host.

    Pronunciation

    Noun

    host m (plural hosts)

    1. (networking) host (computer attached to a network)

    Slovene

    Noun

    hóst

    1. genitive dual/plural of họ̑sta

    Spanish

    Etymology

    Borrowed from English host. Doublet of huésped.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ˈxost/ [ˈxost̪]
    • Rhymes: -ost

    Noun

    host m or f (plural hosts)

    1. (computing, Internet) host (any computer attached to a network)
      Synonym: anfitrión

    Swedish

    Interjection

    host

    1. cough

    Related terms

    • hosta

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    Related Words

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    This article based on an article on Wiktionary. The list of authors can be seen in the page history there. The original work has been modified. This article is distributed under the terms of this license.