host

host¹ (h

st)

1. One who receives or entertains guests in a social or official capacity.

2. A person who manages an inn or hotel.

3. One that furnishes facilities and resources for a function or event: the city chosen as host for the Olympic Games.

4. The emcee or interviewer on a radio or television program.

5. Biology The animal or plant on which or in which another organism lives.

6. Medicine The recipient of a transplanted tissue or organ.

7. Computer Science A computer containing data or programs that another computer can access by means of a network or modem.

tr.v. host·ed, host·ing, hosts Usage Problem

To serve as host to or at: "the garden party he had hosted last spring" Saturday Review.

[Middle English, host, guest, from Old French, from Latin hospes, hospit-; see ghos-ti- in Indo-European roots.]

hostly adj.

Usage Note: Host was used as a verb in Shakespeare's time, but this usage was long obsolete when the verb was reintroduced (or perhaps reinvented) in recent years to mean "perform the role of a host." The usage occurs particularly in contexts relating to institutional gatherings or television and radio shows, where the person performing the role of host has not personally invited the guests. Perhaps because the verb involves a suspect extension of the traditional conception of hospitality, it initially met with critical resistance. In a 1968 survey only 18 percent of the Usage Panel accepted the usage in the sentence The Cleveland chapter will host this year's convention. Over time, however, the usage has become increasingly well established and has the useful purpose of describing the activities of one who performs the ceremonial or practical role of a host, as in arranging a conference or welcoming guests. In our 1986 survey, 53 percent of the Panelists accepted the usage in the phrase a reception hosted by the Secretary of State. The verb is less well accepted when it is used to describe the role of a performer who acts as a master of ceremonies for a broadcast or film, where the relation of the word to the notion of "hospitality" is stretched still further.

host² (h

st)

1. An army.

2. A great number; a multitude. See Synonyms at multitude.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin hostis, from Latin, enemy; see ghos-ti- in Indo-European roots.]

host ¹

Noun

1. a person who receives or entertains guests, esp. in his own home

2. the organization or country providing the facilities for a function or event: Barcelona, host of the 1992 Olympic Games

3. the compere of a radio or television programme

4. Biol an animal or plant in or on which a parasite lives

5. Computers a computer connected to a network and providing facilities to other computers and their users

6. Old-fashioned the owner or manager of an inn

Verb

to be the host of (a party, programme, or event): he's hosting a radio show [Latin hospes guest, host]

host ²

Noun

a great number; multitude [Latin hostis stranger]

Host

Noun

Christianity the bread used in Holy Communion [Latin hostia victim]

host (h

st)

a. The larger of two organisms in a symbiotic relationship.

b. An organism or cell on or in which a parasite lives or feeds.

A definitive host is an organism in which a parasite reaches sexual maturity. The anopheles mosquito is the definitive host for the malaria plasmodium because, while the mosquito is not adversely affected by the plasmodium's presence, it is the organism in which the plasmodium matures and reproduces.

An intermediate host is an organism in which a parasite develops but does not attain sexual maturity. Humans and certain other vertebrates are the intermediate host of the malaria plasmodium.

A paratenic host is an organism which may be required for the completion of a parasite's life cycle but in which no development of the parasite occurs. The unhatched eggs of nematodes are sometimes carried in a paratenic host such as a bird or rodent. When a predator eats the paratenic host, the eggs are ingested as well.

2. The recipient of a transplanted tissue or organ.

3. A computer containing data or programs that another computer can access by means of a network or modem.

Host an army; a large number of men; a great multitude of people, animals, birds, insects, or things.

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun	1.	host - a person who invites guests to a social event (such as a party in his or her own home) and who is responsible for them while they are there adult, grownup - a fully developed person from maturity onward hostess - a woman host
	2.	host - a vast multitude horde, legion concourse, throng, multitude - a large gathering of people
	3.	host - an animal or plant that nourishes and supports a parasite; it does not benefit and is often harmed by the association organism, being - a living thing that has (or can develop) the ability to act or function independently intermediate host - a host that is used by a parasite in the course of its life cycle definitive host - the host in which the sexual reproduction of a parasite takes place parasite - an animal or plant that lives in or on a host (another animal or plant); it obtains nourishment from the host without benefiting or killing the host
	4.	host - a person who acts as host at formal occasions (makes an introductory speech and introduces other speakers) emcee, master of ceremonies entertainer - a person who tries to please or amuse compere - British term for someone who introduces television acts or cabarets etc Lord of Misrule - a person appointed master of revels at a Christmas celebration question master, quizmaster - the host or chairman of a radio or tv quiz show or panel game ringmaster - the person in charge of performances in a circus ring symposiarch, toastmaster - the person who proposes toasts and introduces speakers at a banquet
	5.	host - archaic terms for army legion Roman Legion - a division of from 3000 to 6000 men (including cavalry) in the Roman army Sabaoth - (plural) hosts or armies; used in the book of Romans in the New Testament; "Lord of Sabaoth" army, ground forces, regular army - a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state
	6.	host - any organization that provides resources and facilities for a function or event; "Atlanta was chosen to be host for the Olympic Games" organization, organisation - a group of people who work together
	7.	host - (medicine) recipient of transplanted tissue or organ from a donor medical specialty, medicine - the branches of medical science that deal with nonsurgical techniques recipient, receiver - a person who receives something
	8.	host - the owner or manager of an inn innkeeper, boniface hostess - a woman innkeeper padrone - an owner or proprietor of an inn in Italy patron - the proprietor of an inn victualer, victualler - an innkeeper (especially British)
	9.	Host - a technical name for the bread used in the service of Mass or Holy Communion bread, breadstuff, staff of life - food made from dough of flour or meal and usually raised with yeast or baking powder and then baked
	10.	host - (computer science) a computer that provides client stations with access to files and printers as shared resources to a computer network server computer, computing device, computing machine, data processor, electronic computer, information processing system - a machine for performing calculations automatically computer network - (computer science) a network of computers computer science, computing - the branch of engineering science that studies (with the aid of computers) computable processes and structures
Verb	1.	host - be the host of or for; "We hosted 4 couples last night" banquet, feast, junket - provide a feast or banquet for wine and dine - provide with food and drink, usually lavishly entertain - provide entertainment for compere, emcee - act as a master of ceremonies do the honors - act as the host and receive or introduce one's guests