I. ˈhōst noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French ost, from Late Latin hostis, from Latin, stranger, enemy — more at guest
Date: 14th century
1. : army
2. : a very large number : multitude
II. intransitive verb
Date: 15th century
: to assemble in a host usually for a hostile purpose
III. noun
Etymology: Middle English hoste host, guest, from Anglo-French, from Latin hospit-, hospes, probably from hostis
Date: 14th century
1.
a. : one that receives or entertains guests socially, commercially, or officially
b. : one that provides facilities for an event or function
our college served as host for the basketball tournament
2.
a. : a living animal or plant on or in which a parasite lives
b. : the larger, stronger, or dominant member of a commensal or symbiotic pair
c. : an individual into which a tissue, part, or embryo is transplanted from another
3. : a mineral or rock that is older than the minerals or rocks in it ; also : a substance that contains a usually small amount of another substance incorporated in its structure
4. : a radio or television emcee
5. : a computer that controls communications in a network or that administers a database ; also : server 6
IV. transitive verb
Date: 15th century
1. : to serve as host to, at, or for
host friends
host a dinner
2. : emcee
host ed a series of TV programs
V. noun
Usage: often capitalized
Etymology: Middle English hoste, oste, from Anglo-French oste, oiste, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin hostia Eucharist, from Latin, sacrifice
Date: 14th century
: the eucharistic bread