host English · revision 3009

+ English has three words spelled ''host'': one who receives guests, from Latin hospes; a multitude or army, from Latin hostis; and the consecrated bread, from Latin hostia.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /həʊst/, US /hoʊst/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|one who receives guests}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1250|origins=la hospes}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The receiver of guests is [[inh|enm|oste]], later hoste,^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) [[bor|fro|oste|t=guest, host, landlord]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[la|hospitem]], accusative of [[m|la|hospes|t=guest, stranger; host]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) which appears to be from [[ine-pro|*ghos-pot-|t=guest-master]],^(Etymonline) formed from [[m|ine-pro|*ghos-ti-|t=stranger, guest, host]] and [[m|ine-pro|*poti-|t=powerful; lord]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) Etymonline compares Old Church Slavonic gospodĭ “lord, master”.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) The notion is of someone with whom one has mutual duties of hospitality.^(Etymonline) It is related to [[guest]], [[hospital]] and [[hotel]].^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A man who lodges guests for payment, an innkeeper: about 1290 in the OED.^(OED 1989) Barnhart dates the word about 1250, with the surname Host in 1254.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A man who entertains guests in his house is from 1303.^(OED 1989) ''Reckon without one's host'', “to calculate without consulting the person concerned”, is from about 1489.^(OED 1989) The biological sense, an animal or plant on which a parasite lives, is from 1857.^(Etymonline) The verb is from probably 1421;^(Barnhart 1988) it was used in Shakespeare's time, fell out of use, and was revived in the 20th century, especially of television programmes and events.^(AHD) ''Hostess'' is from about 1300.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1290 – an innkeeper.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1300 – ''hostess''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1303 – one who entertains guests.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1421 – verb.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1489 – ''reckon without one's host''.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1857 – the host of a parasite.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person who receives or entertains [[guest|alt=guests]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A person who keeps an [[inn]] or hotel.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A person, place or organization that provides facilities for an event.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # The presenter of a radio or television programme.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''(biology)'' An organism on which a [[parasite]] lives.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''(computing)'' A computer that provides services to others in a network.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To act as host to or at.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To present a television or radio programme.^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[hostess]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|multitude}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1250|origins=la hostis}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The multitude is [[inh|enm|host]], also ost and oost,^(MWU 2024)^(Barnhart 1988) [[bor|fro|ost|t=army]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[la-med|hostis|t=army, warlike expedition]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from [[la|hostis|t=stranger, enemy]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[ine-pro|*ghos-ti-|t=stranger, guest, host]].^(Etymonline) The Latin h- was lost in Old French, then restored in the spelling and, in modern English, in the pronunciation.^(Etymonline) It is related to [[hostile]] and to [[host#1]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ An army, an armed multitude: the mid-13th century in Etymonline,^(Etymonline) 1265 in Barnhart,^(Barnhart 1988) and about 1290 in the OED.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It replaced Old English here “army”, and has in turn been largely replaced by [[army]].^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) A great company or large number in general is from about 1440 in the OED^(OED 1989) and the 1610s in Etymonline, and Barnhart cites Purchas (1613).^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) ''The host of heaven'', the sun, moon and stars or the angels, is from 1382,^(OED 1989) and ''Lord of Hosts'' translates the Hebrew title of God that occurs more than 260 times in the Bible.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1265 – an army.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1382 – ''Lord of Hosts''; the host of heaven.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1440 – a large number.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1613 – a multitude, generally.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A great number; a [[multitude]]: ''a host of problems''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''(archaic)'' An army.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # The angels, or the sun, moon and stars: ''the heavenly host''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ {{homograph|3|Eucharistic bread}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1303|origins=la hostia}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The consecrated bread is [[inh|enm|oste]], later hoste,^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) [[bor|fro|oiste]],^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) or borrowed directly [[der|la|hostia|t=sacrifice, sacrificial victim]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) of uncertain origin;^(Barnhart 1988) Etymonline thinks it probably related in the end to [[host#1]] in its root sense “stranger, enemy”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The consecrated bread of the Eucharist: about 1303, in Mannyng's ''Handlyng Synne''.^(Barnhart 1988) Etymonline dates it about 1300.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Church Latin applied hostia to Christ as a sacrifice, and Medieval Latin to the consecrated bread.^(Etymonline) In English the sense “sacrificial victim” is from the 14th century and is obsolete.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1303 – the consecrated wafer.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1340 – the spelling ''hoste''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The bread or [[wafer]] consecrated in the [[Eucharist]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[hotel]]

+ * [[hospitable]]

+ * [[hospital]]

+ * [[hospitality]]

+ * [[hostile]]

+ * [[hostel]]

+ * [[hostage]]

+ * [[despot]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The American Heritage Dictionary notes that the revived verb ''host'' is used mainly of institutional gatherings and broadcasts, where the host has not personally invited the guests, and that it would sound odd of a dinner party at one's own house.^(AHD)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}