Dictionary

hostess en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈhoʊstɪs/ (General-American)
• /ˈhəʊstəs/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English hostesse, from Middle French hostesse, from Old French ostesce, made up of oste (“host”) + -esce (“feminine marker”).

Meanings

1. A female host.
   • The [Washington] Post's proprietor through those turbulent [Watergate] days, Katharine Graham, held a double place in Washington’s hierarchy: at once regal Georgetown hostess and scrappy newshound, ready to hold the establishment to account. 2013 August 10, Lexington, “Keeping the mighty honest”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848:
   • The host and hostess greeted their guests at the door.
2. A female innkeeper.
3. Stewardess: a woman steward on an airplane.
4. A bar hostess or bargirl; a paid female companion offering conversation and in some cases sex.
5. (Philippines) A female prostitute.

Forms

Deriveds

air hostess · hostess with the mostest · hostess bar · hostie · hostess gown · hostess dress · airline hostess · dance hostess · cohostess · hostess-ship · hostess trolley · hostessy · hostess with the mostess · flight hostess

Synonyms

hostress · girl rented overnight

Translations (122)

fi emäntä (female host) · bbl მასპიჼძელ (female host) · sh стјуардѐса (stewardess) · nan-hbl 女主人 (female host) · grc πανδοκεύτρια (female innkeeper) · eo gastigantino (female host) · uk стюарде́са (stewardess) · sv värdinna (female host) · fr hôtesse de l'air (stewardess) · pl oberżystka (female innkeeper) · ko 호스티스 (stewardess) · mk дома́ќинка (female host) · mk хостеса (bargirl (a female companion)) · hy տանտիրուհի (female host) · es aeromoza (stewardess) · pl gospodyni (female host) · ko 녀주인 (female host) · pt comissária de bordo (stewardess) · sk stevardka (stewardess) · fr stewardess (stewardess) · be гаспады́ня (female innkeeper) · sh домаћиница (female host) · pt aeromoça (stewardess) · sh хостѐса (bargirl (a female companion)) · cs hostitelka (female innkeeper) · ru стюарде́сса (stewardess) · ko 호스테스 (bargirl (a female companion)) · ca hostalera (female innkeeper) · ko 여주인 (female host) · be сцюардэ́са (stewardess) · uk господи́ня (female innkeeper) · fi emäntä (female innkeeper) · yue 女主人 (female host) · ru стюарде́сса (stewardess) · uk господи́ня (female host) · bg хаза́йка (female host) · cs hostitelka (female host) · fr agente de bord (stewardess) · mk стјуарде́са (stewardess) · sk hostiteľka (female host) · af gasvrou (female host) · ko 도우미 (bargirl (a female companion)) · be хазя́йка (female host) · de Hostess (bargirl (a female companion)) · la hospita (female host) · pt anfitriã (female host) · de Gastgeberin (female host) · id hostes (bargirl (a female companion)) · lv stjuarte (stewardess) · uk бортпровідни́ця (stewardess) · de Stewardess (stewardess) · tr konsomatris (bargirl (a female companion)) · lt stiuardesė (stewardess) · ja 女主人 (female host) · sh stjuardèsa (stewardess) · ru хо́стес (bargirl (a female companion)) · bg ханджи́йка (female innkeeper) · nl gastvrouw (female host) · sh га̏здарица (female host) · ko 호스티스 (bargirl (a female companion)) · bg домаки́ня (female host) · bg стюарде́са (stewardess) · da værtinde (female innkeeper) · ja イベントコンパニオン (bargirl (a female companion)) · ka მასპინძელი (female host) · pl szynkarka (female innkeeper) · eo stevardino (stewardess) · ru хозя́йка (female host) · uk господа́рка (female innkeeper) · ga banóstach (female host) · ko 호스테스 (stewardess) · ja 女主 (female host) · cs letuška (stewardess) · id pramuria (bargirl (a female companion)) · fr hôtesse (female host) · lv stjuartese (stewardess) · tr hostes (stewardess) · cs stevardka (stewardess) · be гаспады́ня (female host) · uk пла́тна партне́рка (bargirl (a female companion)) · ar مُضِيفَة (female host) · sv värdinna (female innkeeper) · de Wirtin (female host) · ja ホステス (stewardess) · fi lentoemäntä (stewardess) · es anfitriona (female host) · de Wirtin (female innkeeper) · ca hostessa (stewardess) · cmn 女主人 (female host) · pt comissária de voo (stewardess) · sh hostèsa (bargirl (a female companion)) · sh domaćinica (female host) · ru хозя́йка (female innkeeper) · de Flugbegleiterin (stewardess) · sva მა̈სძელ (female host) · da værtinde (female host) · xmf მენძელი (female host) · ca amfitriona (female host) · ru бортпроводни́ца (stewardess) · pl stewardessa (stewardess) · nb vertinne (female host) · hi आतिथेयी (female host) · de Stewardeß (stewardess) · uk хазя́йка (female host) · uk хазя́йка (female innkeeper) · es azafata (stewardess) · pt anfitrioa (female host) · ja ホステス (bargirl (a female companion)) · sl gostiteljica (female host) · ko 스튜어디스 (stewardess) · pl stewardesa (stewardess) · be бортправадні́ца (stewardess) · sk letuška (stewardess) · ru хо́стесс (bargirl (a female companion)) · be хазя́йка (female innkeeper) · pl karczmarka (female innkeeper) · sh gȁzdarica (female host) · uk господа́рка (female host) · sv flygvärdinna (stewardess) · fr maîtresse de maison (female host) · ja スチュワーデス (stewardess) · sl stevardesa (stewardess)

hostess en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈhoʊstɪs/ (General-American)
• /ˈhəʊstəs/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English hostesse, from Middle French hostesse, from Old French ostesce, made up of oste (“host”) + -esce (“feminine marker”).

Meanings

1. To host, as a woman.
   • Over the years she has maintained a close relationship with several former students. Currently, she alternates between visiting and hostessing two in Roanoke and Greenville, N.C., respectively, and is a proud godgrandmother to one’s new baby. 1986 fall, MWC Today, volume 11, number 1, page 21, column 1:
   • Later in January, the alum club hostessed the initiation brunch at the Pi Beta Phi chapter house. It was thrilling to see so many girls with such enthusiasm! 1975, The Arrow of Pi Beta Phi, volume 92, number 2, page 69:
   • Dad and I had left early to make sure to get a booth in the back. But when I got there, Teddy Selander’s older sister was hostessing and she said, ‘You’re meeting Dean West? He’s sitting right over here,’ loud enough for everyone to hear. 2009, Eireann Corrigan, Accomplice, Frome, Som: The Chicken House, published 2010, →ISBN, page 161:

Forms