HOST

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does Host mean? 

• HOST (noun)
  The noun HOST has 10 senses:

1. 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

2. a vast multitude

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

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

5. archaic terms for army

6. any organization that provides resources and facilities for a function or event

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

8. the owner or manager of an inn

9. a technical name for the bread used in the service of Mass or Holy Communion

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

  Familiarity information: HOST used as a noun is familiar.

• HOST (verb)
  The verb HOST has 1 sense:

1. be the host of or for

  Familiarity information: HOST used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HOST (noun)

Sense 1

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 2

Meaning:

A vast multitude

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

horde; host; legion

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

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

Sense 3

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"):

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

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

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 4

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

emcee; host; master of ceremonies

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"):

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

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)

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)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Archaic terms for army

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

host; legion

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Context example:

Atlanta was chosen to be host for the Olympic Games

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

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

Sense 7

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 8

Meaning:

The owner or manager of an inn

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

boniface; host; innkeeper

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 9

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 10

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

host; server

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)

• HOST (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be the host of or for

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Context example:

We hosted 4 couples last night

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))

 Context examples 

Vaccination with this agent may stimulate a host cytotoxic T-cell response against tumor cells expressing melanoma-associated antigens, resulting in tumor cell lysis.

(Melanoma Helper Peptide Vaccine, NCI Thesaurus)

Upon administration, the MELITAC 12.1 peptide vaccine may stimulate the host immune system to mount a cytotoxic T-cell response against tumor cells expressing the melanoma peptide antigens, resulting in tumor cell lysis.

(MELITAC 12.1 Peptide Vaccine, NCI Thesaurus)

For two years, since December 2017, you have hosted Saturn, the taskmaster planet, in this same solar eighth house of other people’s money.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Vaccination with ALVAC(2) melanoma multi-antigen therapeutic vaccine may stimulate the host immune system to mount an immune response against antigen-expressing melanoma cells, resulting in inhibition of tumor growth and/or metastasis.

(ALVAC(2) Melanoma Multi-antigen Vaccine, NCI Thesaurus)

Upon administration, ALVAC-ESO-1 vaccine may stimulate the host immune system to mount a cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response against NY-ESO-1-expressing cancer cells, which may result in the inhibition of tumor cell proliferation.

(ALVAC-ESO-1 Vaccine, NCI Thesaurus)

Upon administration, ALVAC-CEA vaccine expresses CEA and may stimulate a host immune response against tumor cells expressing CEA.

(ALVAC-CEA vaccine, NCI Thesaurus)

Motavizumab targets and binds to the RSV F-protein, which prevents F-protein-mediated RSV fusion with human host cells.

(Motavizumab, NCI Thesaurus)

A substance present in or produced by a tumor or by the host, that can be used for differentiating neoplasms that are likely to metastasize from those that are unlikely to metastasize.

(Metastasis and Aggressiveness Marker, NCI Thesaurus)

It is also being studied in the treatment of graft-versus-host disease.

(Methoxsalen, NCI Dictionary)

This agent has been shown to stimulate a host immune response against tumor cells that express CEA.

(ALVAC-B7-CEA, NCI Thesaurus)