host1

 
Pronunciation: /həʊst/

noun

  • 1a person who receives or entertains other people as guests: a dinner-party host
  • a person, place, or organization that holds an event to which others are invited: Innsbruck once played host to the Winter Olympics
  • the presenter of a television or radio programme: your host is Stuart Macmillan
  • 2 Biology an animal or plant on or in which a parasite or commensal organism lives.
  • (also host cell) a living cell in which a virus multiplies.
  • 3a person or animal that has received transplanted tissue or a transplanted organ.
  • 4 (also host computer) a computer which mediates multiple access to databases mounted on it or provides other services to a network.
  • 5an area in which particular plants or animals are found: Australia is host to some of the world’s most dangerous animals

verb

[with object]
  • 1act as host at (an event) or for (a television or radio programme): Canada was asked to host a Commonwealth conference in Ottawa
  • 2store (a website or other electronic data) on a computer connected to the Internet: Columbia University currently hosts some 400 websites

Phrases

mine host

humorous the landlord or landlady of a pub: mine host raised his glass of whisky

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French hoste, from Latin hospes, hospit- 'host, guest'