host - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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.

host (plural hosts)

  1. One which receives or entertains a guest, socially, commercially, or officially.
    A good host is always considerate of the guest’s needs.
  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.
    Synonym: (UK) presenter
    The host was terrible, but the acts themselves were good.
  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.
    Viruses depend on the host that they infect in order to be able to reproduce.
    • 2013 May-June, Katie L. Burke, “In the News”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, page 193:
      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.
  7. (evolution, genetics) 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.
  8. A paid male companion offering conversation and in some cases sex, as in certain types of bar in Japan.

person who receives or entertains a guest

person or organisation responsible for running an event

moderator

computing: computer attached to a network

biology: cell or organism which harbors another organism

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

  1. To perform the role of a host.
    Our company will host the annual conference this year.
    I was terrible at hosting that show.
    I’ll be hosting tonight. I hope I’m not terrible.
    • 1984 February 4, Suzan Bedrosian, “Sex Lives”, in Gay Community News, volume 11, number 28, page 4:
      I am quite impressed with the December 10th issue in which it hosted the article by Nancy Langer, "Different Abilities, the Same Queer Pleasures."
  2. (obsolete, intransitive) To lodge at an inn.
  3. (computing, Internet) To run software made available to a remote user or process.
    Kremvax hosts a variety of services.
    • 1987 May 7, Selden E. Ball, Jr., “Re: Ethernet Terminal Concentrators”, in comp.protocols.tcp-ip (Usenet):
      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.

perform the role of a host

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.

host (plural hosts)

  1. A multitude of people arrayed as an army; used also in religious senses, as: Heavenly host (of angels)
    • 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):
      Why, Plugson, even thy own host is all in mutiny: Cotton is conquered; but the ‘bare backs’ — are worse covered than ever!
    • 1977, K.M. Elizabeth Murray, Caught in the Web of Words, Oxford: Oxford University Press, page 173:
      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.
    • 2001, Carlos Parada, Hesione 2, Greek Mythology Link:
      the invading host that had sailed from Hellas in more than one thousand ships was of an unprecedented size.
  2. A large number of items; a large inventory.
    The dealer stocks a host of parts for my Model A.
    • 1802, William Wordsworth, I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud:
      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; […]
    • 1836, The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction:
      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 […]
    • 2020 July 29, Ian Prosser discusses with Paul Stephen, “Rail needs robust and strategic plans”, in Rail, page 38:
      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.

multitude of people arrayed as an army

large number of items

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

host (plural hosts)

  1. (Christianity) The consecrated bread of the Eucharist.
    • 1978, John Lydon (lyrics and music), “Religion II”, performed by Public Image Ltd.:
      Do you pray to the Holy Ghost when you suck your host? / Do you read who's dead in the Irish Post?

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

host f (plural hosts)

  1. army, troops

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

host m anim (female equivalent hostka)

  1. guest
    Host do domu, Bůh do domu.
    A guest into the house, God into the house. (old proverb, meaning: respect should be shown to guests)
    Host a ryba třetí den smrdí.
    The guest and the fish smell the third day.

The archaic plural instrumental is hostmi.

From English host.

host m (plural hosts, diminutive hostje n)

  1. (computing) host

From hossen.

host

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

Related to hoste ("to cough").

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

  1. a single cough expulsion

From English host.

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

  1. (computing) host

host

  1. imperative of hoste

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

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

  1. a single cough expulsion

From English host.

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

  1. (computing) host

host

  1. imperative of hosta

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *gostь.

host m pers (female equivalent hosti)

  1. guest
    host pocěstný ― a wayfarer
  2. foreigner

Borrowed from English host. Doublet of gość.

host m inan

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

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)

host m pers

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

Unadapted borrowing from English host.

host m (plural hosts)

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

hóst

  1. genitive dual/plural of họ̑sta

Borrowed from English host. Doublet of huésped.

host m or f (plural hosts)

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

host

  1. cough