host

¹host

noun \ˈhōst\

Definition of HOST

1

: army

2

: a great number : multitude

Origin of HOST

Middle English, from Anglo-French ost, from Late Latin hostis, from Latin, stranger, enemy — more at guest

First Known Use: 14th century

Rhymes with HOST

boast, coast, ghost, most, oast, post, roast, toast

²host

intransitive verb

Definition of HOST

: to assemble in a host usually for a hostile purpose

First Known Use of HOST

15th century

³host

noun

Definition of HOST

1

a : one that receives or entertains guests socially, commercially, or officially

b : one that provides facilities for an event or function <our college served as host for the basketball tournament>

2

a : a living animal or plant on or in which a parasite lives

b : the larger, stronger, or dominant member of a commensal or symbiotic pair

c : an individual into which a tissue, part, or embryo is transplanted from another

3

: a mineral or rock that is older than the minerals or rocks in it; also : a substance that contains a usually small amount of another substance incorporated in its structure

4

: a radio or television emcee

5

: a computer that controls communications in a network or that administers a database; also : server 6

Origin of HOST

Middle English hoste host, guest, from Anglo-French, from Latin hospit-, hospes, probably from hostis

First Known Use: 14th century

Other Mineralogy Terms

agate, inclusion, matrix, streak

⁴host

transitive verb

Definition of HOST

1

: to serve as host to, at, or for <host friends> <host a dinner>

2

: emcee <hosted a series of TV programs>

First Known Use of HOST

15th century

Other Broadcasting Terms

continuity, dissolve, fade, feed, remote, residual, spike, wipe

⁵host

noun, often capitalized

Definition of HOST

: the eucharistic bread

Origin of HOST

Middle English hoste, oste, from Anglo-French oste, oiste, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin hostia Eucharist, from Latin, sacrifice

First Known Use: 14th century

Other Christian Religious Terms

Pentateuch, blasphemy, curate, doxology, eremite, iconoclasm, liturgy, orison, pneuma, reliquary

host

noun \ˈhōst\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of HOST

1

: a living animal or plant on or in which a parasite lives—see definitive host, intermediate host

2

: the larger, stronger, or dominant one of a commensal or symbiotic pair

3

a : an individual into which a tissue or part is transplanted from another b : an individual in whom an abnormal growth (as a cancer) is proliferating