hospitality

noun

hos·​pi·​tal·​i·​ty ˌhä-spə-ˈta-lə-tē 

plural hospitalities

1

: hospitable treatment, reception, or disposition

thanked our hosts for their hospitality

2

: the activity or business of providing services to guests in hotels, restaurants, bars, etc.

—usually used before another noun

a hospitality suite

Valet parking may be the most commonplace, least understood corner of the hospitality industry.

—Bruce Feiler

… has turned the hospitality business upside down with his far-out hotel designs …

—Robert Herzbrun

Examples of hospitality in a Sentence

It was refreshing to be met with such hospitality after our long journey.

Recent Examples on the Web

María del Mar Valera, a Tabarca restaurateur and president of APEHA, an association of Alicante hospitality businesses, tells CNN that international visitors can make up to 80 to 90% of arrivals. —Miquel Ros, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025

The hospitality titan, which currently operates 36 hotels, resorts, and private residences in 20 countries, has announced its first luxury yacht will launch in the spring of 2027. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 7 Oct. 2025

The station provided hundreds of jobs and employed hundreds of visiting workers who regularly traveled to the area and fueled the local hospitality industry. —Miranda Dunlap, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025

Softer lounge-style elements are used to blend retail and hospitality. —Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English hospitalite "reception of guests, provision of lodging," borrowed from Anglo-French hospitalité, borrowed from Latin hospitālitāt-, hospitālitās "entertainment of guests," from Latin hospitālis "of a guest, of hospitality, hospitable" (from hospit-, hospes "guest, host" + -ālis -al entry 1) + -itāt-, -itās -ity — more at host entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hospitality

• hospitality suite

Rhymes for hospitality

• abnormality
• cardinality
• commonality
• communality
• cordiality
• corporeality
• criminality
• criticality
• functionality
• generality
• geniality
• illegality

Kids Definition

hospitality

noun

hos·​pi·​tal·​i·​ty ˌhäs-pə-ˈtal-ət-ē 

plural hospitalities

: generous and friendly treatment of visitors and guests

Etymology

Middle English hospitalite "hospitality," from early French hospitalité (same meaning), derived from Latin hospitale "of a guest, showing hospitality," from hospit-, hospes "host, stranger, guest" — related to hospital, host entry 2, hotel