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

Music producer Nigel Frieda has owned its 380 acres for about twenty years, turning it into a retreat, hospitality spot, recording studio, and event venue. — Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Those who don’t want to wait for 2027, or who want more than a standard ticket, can buy hospitality packages anytime. — Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026

There's also the Champion's Club, where a two-day hospitality package costs $5,000 per person. — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 21 Aug. 2026

There are now youth baseball tournaments charging fans for tickets, signing memorabilia deals, paywalling live streams and offering upscale family-wide hospitality packages. — Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 21 Aug. 2026

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