guest

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noun \ ˈgest \

Definition of guest

1 a :a person entertained in one's house

b :a person to whom hospitality is extended

c :a person who pays for the services of an establishment (such as a hotel or restaurant)

2 :an organism (such as an insect) sharing the dwelling of another; especially :inquiline

3 :a substance that is incorporated in a host substance

4 :a usually prominent person not a regular member of a cast or organization who appears in a program or performance

See guest defined for English-language learners

See guest defined for kids

Examples of guest in a Sentence

Our guests should be arriving soon.
Only invited guests are allowed inside the banquet hall.
He played at the country club as a guest of one of the members.
Our guests receive the finest quality service.
Frequent guests receive a discount.

Recent Examples of guest from the Web

As part of the weekly blues series, guitarist Dave Chappell and his band perform with guest singer-keyboardist Johnny Neel. 6-9 p.m. Dinner from 5:30-8 p.m. Westminster Church, 400 I St. SW.

— Washington Post, "D.C. community calendar, Aug. 31-Sept. 6, 2017," 30 Aug. 2017
Rather than having servants deliver one course at a time, the long dining tables were set with piles of food in elaborate chaffing dishes, tureens and trays so that guests were encouraged to graze their way through the bounteous offerings.

— gaile robinson, star-telegram, "Kimbell’s ‘Casanova’ follows the seducer’s trail through Europe – adult-only art and all," 30 Aug. 2017
Prosecutors allege 35-year-old Joshua Hubert, who was a guest at the cookout, kidnapped and assaulted the girl, throwing her off the bridge.

— brittney mcnamara, Teen Vogue, "Protesters Want a Statue Taken Down of a Doctor Who Surgically Experimented on Female Slaves," 29 Aug. 2017
Guests at EJ’s will walk up to a host counter, view the menu on a chalkboard reflecting the daily selection, and place their order, which is served to them at the table.

— jill wendholt silva, kansascity, "New EJ’s Urban Eatery in West Bottoms opens Tuesday: Here’s what’s cooking," 29 Aug. 2017
This Saturday evening for the 22nd year, the Salk Institute unites with the San Diego Symphony and a guest performer to raise money and awareness of its mission.

— bradley j. fikes, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Symphony at Salk features music's master hit maker," 23 Aug. 2017
The shuttle buses taking guests there had to stop several hundred yards away from the final destination and people had to walk up a steep hill in the rain, so there was a whole lot of complaining.

— john hendrickson, Esquire, "The 'Rules' of Being a Man Are Bullshit," 22 Aug. 2017
Joseph Calleja is a marvelous guest — bright, articulate, humorous, wide-ranging.

— jay nordlinger, National Review, "Salzburg Journal, Part II," 22 Aug. 2017
Ryan also defended the practice of distributing it to victims of the Sept. 11 attacks who come to watch war court hearings as prosecution guests.

— carol rosenberg, miamiherald, "Prosecutor calls bragging, 2009 proclamation a Guantánamo confession to 9/11 attacks," 21 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'guest.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of guest

Middle English gest, from Old Norse gestr; akin to Old English giest guest, stranger, Latin hostis stranger, enemy

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

guest Synonyms

Synonyms

caller, drop-in, frequenter, visitant, visitor

Related Words

houseguest; company; invitee; crasher, hanger-on

Near Antonyms

denizen, dweller, habitant, inhabitant, occupant, resident, resider; cohost, cohostess, host, hostess

guest

verb

Definition of guest

transitive verb

:to receive as a guest

intransitive verb

:to appear as a guest

Recent Examples of guest from the Web

Both perform with equal skill and sensitivity in almost any setting, whether guesting on albums by others or playing on their own solo recordings.

— george varga, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Albert Lee and Cindy Cashdollar a pair of guitar heroes with extra pluck," 26 Aug. 2017
And if there's a God, Dennis Rodman and Kim Jong-un will guest star.

— dan labbe, cleveland.com, "A quarterback announcement is coming soon: Berea report," 15 Aug. 2017
This is not a true pit stop because there are no bathrooms, but a nearby gas station grants guest privileges.

— janet eastman, OregonLive.com, "Best food, fun stops off Oregon's I-5: Oakland, Cottage Grove, Creswell, Springfield, Eugene (photos)," 12 Aug. 2017
In a bit of totally meta casting perfect for this 1980s-set comedy, Weird Science's Ilan Mitchell-Smith will guest-star as a teacher this season, reports TVLine.

— whitney friedlander, Esquire, "Fall TV Preview: Your Complete Guide to the Season's Premieres," 4 Aug. 2017
The stunning exhibition gives D23 Expo guests an up-close look at what's to come on this never-before seen planet.

— natalie dreier, ajc, "Disney’s Star Wars-themed land models are something to see," 14 July 2017
The tap house has 40 taps with nearly two dozen of its own beers plus guest Wisconsin offerings from Central Waters, Badger State, Mobcraft and others.

— chelsey lewis, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Tour de beer: A biking brewery tour in the Stevens Point area," 22 June 2017
No major politician dared to guest on a late-night program before, and no one was sure whether the equal-time rules applied to entertainment programming.

— ron simon, Time, "See How JFK Created a Presidency for the Television Age," 29 May 2017
If a day isn't sufficient to regain your serenity, the monastery reserves guest rooms for contemplative retreats lasting between two days and one week.

— jennifer ladonne, CNN, "Cannes day trips: The island retreats of Îles de Lérins," 24 May 2017

First Known Use of guest

14th century

Guest

play

biographical name \ ˈgest \

Definition of Guest

Edgar Albert 1881–1959 American journalist and poet

GUEST Defined for English Language Learners

guest

play

noun

Definition of guest for English Language Learners

: a person who is invited to visit or stay in someone's home
: a person who is invited to a place or an event as a special honor
: a customer at a hotel, restaurant, etc.

GUEST Defined for Kids

guest

play

noun \ ˈgest \

Definition of guest for Students

1 :a person invited to visit or stay in someone's home

2 :a person invited to a special place or event

a wedding guest

3 :a customer at a hotel, motel, inn, or restaurant

Learn More about guest

See words that rhyme with guest Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for guest Spanish Central: Translation of guest Nglish: Translation of guest for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of guest for Arabic speakers

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guest

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