Library / English Dictionary

HOST

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

An animal or plant that nourishes and supports a parasite; it does not benefit and is often harmed by the association

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("host" is a kind of...):

being; organism (a living thing that has (or can develop) the ability to act or function independently)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "host"):

intermediate host (a host that is used by a parasite in the course of its life cycle)

definitive host (the host in which the sexual reproduction of a parasite takes place)

Antonym:

parasite (an animal or plant that lives in or on a host (another animal or plant); it obtains nourishment from the host without benefiting or killing the host)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(computer science) a computer that provides client stations with access to files and printers as shared resources to a computer network

Synonyms:

host; server

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("host" is a kind of...):

computer; computing device; computing machine; data processor; electronic computer; information processing system (a machine for performing calculations automatically)

Domain category:

computer science; computing (the branch of engineering science that studies (with the aid of computers) computable processes and structures)

Holonyms ("host" is a part of...):

computer network ((computer science) a network of computers)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A technical name for the bread used in the service of Mass or Holy Communion

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Hypernyms ("Host" is a kind of...):

bread; breadstuff; staff of life (food made from dough of flour or meal and usually raised with yeast or baking powder and then baked)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A vast multitude

Synonyms:

horde; host; legion

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Hypernyms ("host" is a kind of...):

concourse; multitude; throng (a large gathering of people)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Archaic terms for army

Synonyms:

host; legion

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Hypernyms ("host" is a kind of...):

army; ground forces; regular army (a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "host"):

Roman Legion (a division of from 3000 to 6000 men (including cavalry) in the Roman army)

Sabaoth ((plural) hosts or armies; used in the book of Romans in the New Testament)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Any organization that provides resources and facilities for a function or event

Example:

Atlanta was chosen to be host for the Olympic Games

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Hypernyms ("host" is a kind of...):

organisation; organization (a group of people who work together)

Sense 7

Meaning:

The owner or manager of an inn

Synonyms:

boniface; host; innkeeper

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("host" is a kind of...):

patron (the proprietor of an inn)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "host"):

hostess (a woman innkeeper)

padrone (an owner or proprietor of an inn in Italy)

victualer; victualler (an innkeeper (especially British))

Derivation:

host (be the host of or for)

Sense 8

Meaning:

A person who invites guests to a social event (such as a party in his or her own home) and who is responsible for them while they are there

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("host" is a kind of...):

adult; grownup (a fully developed person from maturity onward)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "host"):

hostess (a woman host)

Derivation:

host (be the host of or for)

Sense 9

Meaning:

(medicine) recipient of transplanted tissue or organ from a donor

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("host" is a kind of...):

receiver; recipient (a person who receives something)

Domain category:

medical specialty; medicine (the branches of medical science that deal with nonsurgical techniques)

Sense 10

Meaning:

A person who acts as host at formal occasions (makes an introductory speech and introduces other speakers)

Synonyms:

emcee; host; master of ceremonies

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("host" is a kind of...):

entertainer (a person who tries to please or amuse)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "host"):

symposiarch; toastmaster (the person who proposes toasts and introduces speakers at a banquet)

ringmaster (the person in charge of performances in a circus ring)

question master; quizmaster (the host or chairman of a radio or tv quiz show or panel game)

Lord of Misrule (a person appointed master of revels at a Christmas celebration)

compere (British term for someone who introduces television acts or cabarets etc)

Instance hyponyms:

Ed Sullivan; Edward Vincent Sullivan; Sullivan (United States host on a well known television variety show (1902-1974))

Derivation:

host (be the host of or for)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be the host of or for

Example:

We hosted 4 couples last night

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Hypernyms (to "host" is one way to...):

entertain (provide entertainment for)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "host"):

banquet; feast; junket (provide a feast or banquet for)

wine and dine (provide with food and drink, usually lavishly)

compere; emcee (act as a master of ceremonies)

do the honors (act as the host and receive or introduce one's guests)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

Sam cannot host Sue

Derivation:

host (the owner or manager of an inn)

host (a person who invites guests to a social event (such as a party in his or her own home) and who is responsible for them while they are there)

host (a person who acts as host at formal occasions (makes an introductory speech and introduces other speakers))

Credits

 Context examples: 

The human body is host to trillions of microbes.

(Algal Virus Infects, Affects Humans, NIH)

However, research has also suggested that this brain area contributes to a host of non-motor functions.

(New Findings Reveal Surprising Role of the Cerebellum in Reward and Social Behaviors, National Institutes of Health)

The unusual position of the planet implies that at some point after the host star became a white dwarf, the planet moved closer to it.

(First Giant Planet around White Dwarf Found, ESO)

Inflammation is associated with a whole host of conditions such as asthma, diabetes, peptic ulcers, rheumatoid arthritis, and many others.

(Humans More Unique than Expected When It Comes to Digesting Fatty Meals, U.S. Department of Agriculture)

The loss of beneficial bacteria increases the risk of certain life-threatening infectious diseases and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).

(Fecal microbiota transplantation helps restore beneficial bacteria in cancer patients, National Institutes of Health)

The amphibian chytrid fungus suppresses the immune responses of amphibian hosts, so many researchers doubted that amphibians could acquire effective immunity against this pathogen.

(Amphibians can acquire resistance to deadly fungus, NSF)

The exoplanet is about 200 light-years from Earth and takes less than six days to orbit its host star.

(Hubble detects helium in the atmosphere of an exoplanet for the first time, ESA/Hubble)

HLA matching reduces the risk of graft-versus-host disease, in which transplanted cells attack the recipient’s cells.

(Early treatment benefits infants with severe combined immunodeficiency, NIH)

Infectious agents, which while normally present but remaining benign under the control of the immune system, become virulent and pathogenic in immune-compromised hosts (i.e when they get the opportunity to become infectious).

(Agents of Opportunistic Infection, NCI Thesaurus)

This agent selectively binds to CD52, thereby triggering a host immune response that results in lysis of CD52 + cells.

(Alemtuzumab, NCI Thesaurus)