hospitable

adjective hos·pi·ta·ble \ hä-ˈspi-tə-bəl , ˈhä-(ˌ)spi- \

|Updated on: 7 Jul 2018

Examples: hospitable in a Sentence

Definition of hospitable

1 a : given to generous and cordial reception of guests

a kind, hospitable people

they are hospitable … : give a guest everything, and leave him free to do as he likes
—Bram Stoker

b : promising or suggesting generous and friendly welcome

hospitable faces

c : offering a pleasant or sustaining environment

grows in even the least hospitable climates

2 : readily receptive : open

hospitable to new ideas

—

hospitably

play \hä-ˈspi-tə-blē, ˈhä-(ˌ)spi-\ adverb

See hospitable defined for English-language learners

See hospitable defined for kids

Examples of hospitable in a Sentence

The people of that country are very hospitable.
It's a hearty plant that grows in even the least hospitable climates.
elderly people moving to Florida for its hospitable climate

Recent Examples of hospitable from the Web

Relatives and friends who have shared their cramped apartments become less hospitable when school is out and the children are home all day.

— jeanne houck, Cincinnati.com, "Bethany House needs donations for influx of homeless," 15 June 2018
These factors can add up to elevated rates at area hotels, but fortunately for Westerners, the hospitable and uber stylish Thompson Seattle extends a 20-percent discount to its neighbors from Montana, Oregon, California, and Idaho.

— stephanie granada, Sunset, "10 Great Deals on Labor Day Weekend Getaways," 22 Jan. 2018
Speaking before kick-off in front of a partisan crowd, Putin described his homeland as an open, hospitable and friendly country and wished fans an unforgettable experience.

— aimee lewis, CNN, "Russia opens World Cup 2018 with thumping win over Saudi Arabia," 14 June 2018
Over the course of the Industrial Revolution, workplace safety regulations have made some of these industrial spaces more hospitable to people.

— carolina a. miranda, The Atlantic, "The Unbearable Awkwardness of Automation," 13 June 2018
New York and San Francisco are often at the top of the list of retail openings, with San Francisco especially hospitable to newfangled ideas.

— maghan mcdowell, San Francisco Chronicle, "Digital native brands test their concepts on SF’s population of early adopters," 6 June 2018
Yet another way to think of his election is that the party’s climate has grown increasingly hospitable to the demagogues who come along regularly to enthrall the right.

— jonathan chait, Daily Intelligencer, "Oliver North and the Creation of Donald Trump," 7 May 2018
They were struck by how Haitian people, even at their country's most broken and vulnerable time, were hospitable and friendly.

— mark curnutte, Cincinnati.com, "From the archives: Reaching out to Haiti, coverage of 2010 earthquake," 13 Jan. 2018
Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara, one of the authors of the report, tells David Obura of The Conversation that the Red Sea’s waters are not particularly hospitable to great whales.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "Huge Blue Whale Sighted in the Red Sea for the First Time," 2 June 2018

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

First Known Use of hospitable

circa 1570

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

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hospitable Synonyms

HOSPITABLE Defined for English Language Learners

hospitable

adjective

Definition of hospitable for English Language Learners

: generous and friendly to guests or visitors
: having an environment where plants, animals, or people can live or grow easily
: ready or willing to accept or consider something