host

See also: Host, höst, hőst, høst, and hosť

English

Alternative forms

• hoast (obsolete)

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /həʊst/
• (US) IPA^(key): /hoʊst/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -əʊst

Etymology 1

From Old French oste (French: hôte), from Middle Latin hospitem, accusative of hospes (“a host, also a sojourner, visitor, guest; hence, a foreigner, a stranger”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰóspot- (“master of guests”), from *gʰóstis (“stranger, guest, host, someone with whom one has reciprocal duties of hospitality”) and *pótis (“owner, master, host, husband”). Used in English since 13th century.

Noun

host (plural hosts, feminine hostess)

1. One which receives or entertains a guest, socially, commercially, or officially.

   A good host is always considerate of the guest’s needs.

   • (Can we date this quote?) Shakespeare

     Time is like a fashionable host, / That slightly shakes his parting guest by the hand.

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. (computing, Internet) A server in a network.
6. (computing, Internet) Any computer attached to a network.
7. (ecology) A cell or organism which harbors another organism or biological entity, usually a parasite.
   • 2013 May-June, Katie L. Burke, “In the News”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, page 193:

     Bats host many high-profile viruses that can infect humans, including severe acute respiratory syndrome and Ebola. 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.

   Viruses depend on the host that they infect in order to be able to reproduce.

8. (evolution, genetics) An organism bearing certain genetic material.

   The so-called junk DNA is known, so far, to provide no apparent benefit to its host.

9. A paid male companion offering conversation and in some cases sex, as in certain types of bar in Japan.

Hyponyms

• (computing): localhost

Derived terms

Terms derived from host

• hostel

• hoster

• hostess

• hostname

Related terms

Related terms

• hospitable

• hospital

• hospitality

• hotel

Translations

person who receives or entertains a guest

• Arabic: مُضِيف‎ m (muḍīf)
• Belarusian: гаспада́р m (haspadár), гаспада́рка f (haspadárka)
• Bulgarian: домакин (bg) m (domakin)
• Catalan: amfitrió (ca) m, amfitriona (ca) f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 主人 (zh) (zhǔrén)

• Czech: hostitel (cs) m
• Danish: vært (da)
• Dutch: gastheer (nl) m, gastvrouw (nl) f, gastgever m
• Esperanto: gastiganto (eo)
• Finnish: isäntä (fi)
• French: hôte (fr), maître de maison (fr) m, maître de maison (fr), amphitryon (fr) m (at a meal)
• German: Gastgeber (de) m
• Greek: οικοδεσπότης (el) m (oikodespótis), οικοδέσποινα (el) f (oikodéspoina)
• Hebrew: מארח‎ (mearéakh)
• Hungarian: házigazda (hu)
• Icelandic: gestgjafi (is) m
• Ido: hosto (io)
• Interlingua: hospitero
• Irish: óstach m
• Italian: ospitante (it), anfitrione (it) m (at a meal)
• Japanese: 主人 (ja) (しゅじん, shujin)
• Korean: 주인 (ko) (ju-in)

• Latvian: saimnieks m, namatēvs m, namamāte f
• Macedonian: домаќин m (dómaḱin), домаќинка f (domáḱinka)
• Malay: tuan rumah
• Maori: nihowera (if generous)
• Nivkh: ыс (əs), ызӈ (əzŋ)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: vert (no) m

  Nynorsk: vert m

• Pashto: كوربه‎ m (korba)
• Polish: gospodarz (pl) m
• Portuguese: anfitrião (pt) m
• Romanian: gazdă (ro) f, amfitrion (ro) m
• Russian: хозя́ин (ru) m (xozjáin), хозя́йка (ru) f (xozjájka)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: домаћин m, домаћиница f, газда m, газдарица f

  Roman: domaćin (sh) m, domaćinica f, gazda (sh) m, gazdarica (sh) f

• Slovak: hostiteľ m
• Slovene: gostítelj (sl) m, gostíteljica f
• Spanish: anfitrión m, hospedador (es) m, hospedero m
• Swedish: värd (sv) c
• Turkish: ev sahibi (tr)
• Ukrainian: хазя́їн m (xazjájin), хазя́йка f (xazjájka), господа́р (uk) m (hospodár), господа́рка f (hospodárka)

person or organisation responsible for running an event

• Arabic: مُضِيف‎ m (muḍīf), آدِب‎ m (ʾādib), مُسْتَضِيف‎ m (mustaḍīf)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 主持人 (zh) (zhǔchírén)

• Czech: pořadatel m
• Danish: vært (da)
• Dutch: organisator (nl) m, gastgever m, gastheer (nl)
• Esperanto: gastiganto (eo)
• Finnish: isäntä (fi)
• French: organisateur (fr) m, animateur (fr) m
• German: Veranstalter (de) m, Organisator (de), Organisator (de) m
• Greek: διοργανωτής (el) m (diorganotís)
• Hebrew: מארחים‎ (mearkhím)
• Italian: organizzatore (it) m

• Japanese: 主催者 (しゅさいしゃ, shusaisha), 司会 (ja) (しかい, shikai)
• Macedonian: водител m (vóditel), водителка (vodítelka)
• Malay: pengacara
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: vert (no) m

  Nynorsk: vert m

• Pashto: كوربه‎ m (korba)
• Portuguese: organizador (pt) m, realizador (pt) m
• Russian: веду́щий (ru) m (vedúščij)
• Slovene: gostítelj (sl) m, gostíteljica f
• Spanish: anfitrión m, anfitriona f, organizador (es) m
• Swedish: värd (sv) c
• Vietnamese: người chủ trì

moderator

• Dutch: moderator (nl) m, gastheer (nl) m, gastvrouw (nl) f, gastgever m
• Finnish: juontaja (fi), isäntä (fi)
• German: Moderator (de) m, Showmaster m
• Greek: συντονιστής (el) m (syntonistís)
• Hebrew: מנחה‎ (he) (mankhé)
• Italian: moderatore m

• Macedonian: водител m (vóditel), водителка f (vodítelka)
• Portuguese: mediador (pt), apresentador (pt) m, anfitrião (pt) m
• Romanian: moderator (ro) m, moderatoare (ro) f, prezentator (ro) m
• Russian: веду́щий (ru) m (vedúščij), церемонийме́йстер (ru) m (ceremonijméjster), (Internet) модера́тор (ru) m (moderátor)
• Slovene: vodítelj m, vodíteljica f
• Spanish: maestro de ceremonias m, conductor (es) m

computing: computer attached to a network

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 主機 (zh), 主机 (zh) (zhǔjī)

• Dutch: host (nl) m
• French: hôte (fr) m
• Italian: host (it) m
• Japanese: ホスト (ja) (hosuto)
• Macedonian: домаќин m (dómaḱin)

• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: vert (no) m

  Nynorsk: vert m

• Portuguese: host (pt) m
• Russian: хост (ru) m (xost), гла́вная ЭВМ f (glávnaja EVM)
• Vietnamese: máy chủ (vi)

computing: computer or software component that provides services

• Dutch: host (nl) m
• Italian: server (it) m
• Macedonian: домаќин m (dómaḱin)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: vert (no) m

  Nynorsk: vert m

• Portuguese: host (pt) m
• Russian: се́рвер (ru) m (sérver)
• Vietnamese: máy chủ dịch vụ

biology: cell or organism which harbors another organism

• Czech: hostitel (cs) m
• Dutch: gastheer (nl) m
• Finnish: isäntä (fi)
• French: hôte (fr)
• German: Wirt (de) m
• Greek: ξενιστής (el) m (xenistís)
• Icelandic: hýsill (is) m
• Italian: ospite (it) m
• Latvian: saimnieks m
• Macedonian: домаќин m (dómaḱin)

• Malay: perumah
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: vert (no) m

  Nynorsk: vert m

• Portuguese: hospedeiro (pt) m
• Russian: клетка-хозяин (ru) f (kletka-xozjain), организм-хозяин (ru) m (organizm-xozjain)
• Slovene: gostítelj (sl) m
• Spanish: hospedante (es) m, hospedador (es) (adj.), huésped (es) m
• Swedish: värd (sv) c
• Vietnamese: vật chủ (vi)

genetics: organism bearing certain genetic material

• Dutch: drager (nl) m

• German: Träger (de) m

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.
   • 2013 May-June, Katie L. Burke, “In the News”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, page 193:

     Bats host many high-profile viruses that can infect humans, including severe acute respiratory syndrome and Ebola.

   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.

2. (obsolete, intransitive) To lodge at an inn.
   • Shakespeare

     Where you shall host.

3. (computing, Internet) To run software made available to a remote user or process.
   • 1987 May 7, Selden E. Ball, Jr., Re: Ethernet Terminal Concentrators, 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.

   Kremvax hosts a variety of services.

Translations

perform the role of a host

• Catalan: allotjar (ca)
• Czech: hostit
• Dutch: ontvangen (nl), onderbrengen (nl), modereren (nl) (show)
• Esperanto: gastigi
• Finnish: isännöidä, toimia (fi) isäntänä (fi), juontaa (fi) (show)
• French: recevoir (fr), animer (fr) (show)
• German: Gastgeber sein, aufnehmen (de), organisieren (de), durchführen (de)
• Greek: διοργανώνω (el) (diorganóno)
• Icelandic: hýsa

• Italian: ospitare (it)
• Maori: whakamanuhiri, whakauhi, whakauwhi
• Occitan: acomodar
• Polish: gościć (pl), ugościć
• Portuguese: hospedar (pt)
• Slovene: gostiti
• Spanish: alojar (es), albergar (es)
• Vietnamese: đăng cai (vi)

computing: run software for a remote user or process

• Dutch: hosten (nl)
• Finnish: hostata
• French: héberger (fr)
• German: bereitstellen (de)

• Icelandic: hýsa
• Portuguese: hospedar (pt)
• Spanish: alojar (es)
• Vietnamese: lưu trữ (vi)

See also

• guest
• event
• master of ceremonies

Etymology 2

From Old French hoste, from Middle Latin hostis (“foreign enemy”) (as opposed to inimicus (“personal enemy”)), cognate with etymology 1.

Noun

host (plural hosts)

1. A multitude of people arrayed as an army; used also in religious senses, as: Heavenly host (of angels)
   • 1843, Thomas Carlyle, Past and Present, book 3, ch. X, Plugson of Undershot

     Why, Plugson, even thy own host is all in mutiny: Cotton is conquered; but the ‘bare backs’ — are worse covered than ever!

   • 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.

   A host of parts for my Model A.

Derived terms

• heavenly host
• Lord of Hosts

Translations

multitude of people arrayed as an army

• Armenian: զորք (hy) (zorkʿ)
• Dutch: heerschaar (nl) c (archaic), leger (nl) n, troep (nl) m (usually plural)
• Finnish: sotajoukko
• French: ost (fr), armée (fr) f
• German: Heer (de) n
• Maori: mano

• Ngazidja Comorian: djeyshi class 5/6
• Portuguese: hoste (pt) f
• Russian: рать (ru) f (ratʹ), во́йско (ru) n (vójsko)
• Spanish: hueste (es) m
• Volapük: (angels) silananef

large number of items

• Dutch: berg (nl) m, troep (nl) m
• Finnish: joukko (fi)

• Russian: мно́жество (ru) n (mnóžestvo)

Etymology 3

From Middle English also oist, ost, from Old French hoiste, from Latin hostia (“sacrificial victim”).

Noun

host (plural hosts)

1. (Christianity) The consecrated bread or wafer of the Eucharist.

Translations

consecrated bread

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 聖體 (zh), 圣体 (zh) (shèngtǐ)

• Dalmatian: bluta
• Dutch: hostie (nl) m
• Esperanto: hostio
• Finnish: öylätti (fi)
• French: hostie (fr) f
• German: Hostie (de) f
• Greek: άρτος (el) m (ártos)
• Hungarian: ostya (hu)

• Icelandic: kynnir
• Indonesian: hosti (id)
• Italian: ostia f
• Polish: hostia (pl) f
• Portuguese: hóstia (pt) f, partícula (pt) f
• Russian: облатка (ru) (oblatka)
• Serbo-Croatian: hostija (sh) f
• Spanish: hostia (es) f
• Tagalog: ostiya
• Vietnamese: bánh lễ, bánh thánh

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Spanish: ^{(please verify)} anfitrión, ^{(please verify)} propietario (es) m, ^{(please verify)} presentador

See also

• hostage

Anagrams

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

---

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin hostis.

Noun

host m (plural hosts or hostos)

1. army

See also

• exèrcit

---

Czech

FWOTD – 4 April 2013

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *gostь.

Pronunciation

• audio

  (file)

Noun

host m

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

Declension

Declension of host

	singular	plural
nominative	host	hosti, hosté
genitive	hosta	hostů, hostí
dative	hostu, hostovi	hostům
accusative	hosta	hosty
vocative	hoste	hosti, hosté
locative	hostu, hostovi	hostech
instrumental	hostem	hosty

Related terms

• hostit
• hostitel
• hostina
• hostinec
• nehostinný
• pohostinství

Further reading

• host in Příruční slovník jazyka českého, 1935–1957
• host in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého, 1960–1971, 1989

---

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

From hossen.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɦɔst/

• Audio

  (file)

Verb

host

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

---

Norwegian

Etymology 1

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /hust/
• Rhymes: -ust

Noun

host

1. A single cough expulsion

Inflection

    Inflection of host

	indefinite singular	definite singular	indefinite plural	definite plural
Bokmål m	host	hosten	host	hostene
Bokmål n	host	hostet	host	hosta/hostene
Nynorsk n	host	hostet	host	hosta

Verb

host

1. imperative of hosta and hoste (Nynorsk)

Etymology 2

From English.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /hɔust/
• Rhymes: -ɔust

Noun

host m

1. (computing) host

Inflection

    Inflection of host

	indefinite singular	definite singular	indefinite plural	definite plural
Bokmål m	host	hosten	hoster	hostene
Nynorsk m	host	hosten	hostar	hostane

Synonyms

• vertsmaskin

---

Norwegian Bokmål

Verb

host

1. imperative of hoste

---

Portuguese

Etymology

From English host.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈʁowst͡ʃ/

Noun

host m (plural hosts)

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