hostess

noun

host·ess | \ ˈhō-stəs

Definition of hostess

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a woman who entertains socially

2a : a woman in charge of a public dining room who seats diners

b : a female employee on a public conveyance (such as an airplane) who manages the provisioning of food and attends passengers

c : a woman who acts as a partner or companion to male patrons in a dance hall or bar

hostess

verb

hostessed; hostessing; hostesses

Definition of hostess (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

: to act as hostess

transitive verb

: to serve as hostess to

Examples of hostess in a Sentence

Noun

We were greeted by our hostess. She's the hostess of a popular talk show.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

But instead of cringing at the endless jokes and snickers — at the double-takes and disbelieving restaurant hostesses — the handful of descendants named after the famed Bostonian have openly embraced it. — Dugan Arnett, BostonGlobe.com, "For the other Paul Reveres, every day is Patriots Day," 10 May 2018 In the old days of Park Avenue hostesses, it was considered déclassé to use wallpaper. — David A. Keeps, House Beautiful, "Designers Hillary Thomas and Jeff Lincoln on Decorating a 1960s Town House," 11 Apr. 2012 The hostess with the mostest will relish in Hermes' set of fragrant orange-scented soaps and any multi-tasking earth mother will surely appreciate Tata Harper's curated edit of all-natural skincare products, chicly housed in a verdant vanity case. — Jenna Rennert, Vogue, "11 Beauty Gifts for Mom That Guarantee Favorite Child Status," 9 Nov. 2018 Throughout tea, Dean played the energetic and often irreverent hostess. — Beth Spotswood, San Francisco Chronicle, "SF’s Crown and Crumpet’s high tea just the thing for royal wedding," 22 May 2018 In the dark after-work hours, its tiny bars, ramen counters, karaoke boxes, and hostess spots were crammed with salarymen spending an extra few hours laughing at their superiors’ jokes or drinking off the stress of their jobs. — Andrew Liptak, The Verge, "Two unlikely cops are paired up to solve murders in a war-torn Tokyo in Ninth Step Station," 8 Dec. 2018 Its original owner was Dame Margaret Greville, a famous society hostess who, upon her death, left her jewels to the Queen Mother. — Elise Taylor, Vogue, "The History Behind Princess Eugenie’s Emerald and Diamond Wedding Day Tiara," 12 Oct. 2018 Tom even politely introduced himself to his host and hostess with his Bic pen and reporter’s pad in plain view. — Gail Sheehy, The Cut, "What Tom Wolfe Taught Me About Reporting," 18 May 2018 Think vanity-table staple—or the perfect last-minute hostess gift. — Jenna Rennert, Vogue, "5 Foolproof Hair Products for a Festive Night Out," 18 Nov. 2018

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

History and Etymology for hostess

Noun

Middle English hostesse, ostesse "woman who receives guests, female innkeeper," borrowed from Anglo-French, from oste, hoste "host, guest" + -esse -ess — more at host entry 3

Verb

derivative of hostess entry 1

Keep scrolling for more