hostess

1 of 2

noun

host·​ess ˈhō-stəs How to pronounce hostess (audio)
1
: a woman who entertains socially
2
a
: 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

2 of 2

verb

hostessed; hostessing; hostesses

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
Giorgio Armani Giorgio Armani, 436 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills A private, invite-only celebration hostess by Roberta Armani in celebration of Martin Scorsese on the occasion of his historic 10th Academy Award nomination for Killers of the Flower Moon. Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Mar. 2024 The suit alleges that in September 2010, Diesel went to his hotel suite after drinking at a club and was joined by several of the hostesses, a security guard and Jonasson, who had not been drinking. Diana Dasrath, NBC News, 22 Dec. 2023 Diesel eventually left early in the morning with several of the hostesses working at the club to go back to the St. Regis Hotel, the suit states. Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 21 Dec. 2023 It’s made from 100% cotton and makes a great add-in for an Easter basket or to gift the hostess of your Easter meal. Amanda Ogle, Southern Living, 16 Feb. 2024 Definite no-no’s: Snooping through the hostess’ medicine cabinet or asking for a to-go plate. Charlottefive Staff, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 For decades, she was considered one of the social circle's best hostesses and was even a muse to Andy Warhol and Salvador Dalí. Haley Van Horn, Peoplemag, 31 Jan. 2024 This in itself will not make the party any easier from the hostess’s point of view. Nancy Mitford, Vogue, 24 Dec. 2023 The hostess at Gracias Madre, a casual vegan Mexican place on Melrose, recognizes me immediately. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 14 Feb. 2024
Verb
After all, arriving with a thoughtful gift is the perfect way to say thank you to the host or hostess for their invitation. Anna Popp, Travel + Leisure, 17 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hostess.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

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 1

Verb

derivative of hostess entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1927, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of hostess was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near hostess

Cite this Entry

“Hostess.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hostess. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hostess

noun
host·​ess
ˈhō-stəs
: a woman who acts as host
especially : one who greets and provides service for diners in a restaurant or passengers on an airplane or ship
hostess verb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!