hosts

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   People who invite others and provide food, drink, or entertainment for them.

   Grammar: Countable noun; the singular is 'host' for a man or 'hostess' for a woman, though 'host' is now often used for any gender.

   Patterns

   • hosts of something
   • the hosts of a party

   The hosts of the dinner party made everyone feel welcome.

   Our hosts in Tokyo took us to a traditional restaurant.

   As hosts, they are responsible for making sure the guests are comfortable.

2. 2nouncountable

   Organizations or countries that hold a large event and provide the facilities for it.

   Grammar: Often used in the plural for a single event, e.g. 'the hosts of the World Cup'.

   Patterns

   • the hosts of an event
   • hosts for a competition

   The hosts of the Olympic Games were praised for their organization.

   Brazil was chosen as the host for the 2014 World Cup.

   The hosts of the conference provided free Wi-Fi for all attendees.

3. 3nouncountablecomputingtechnical

   In computing, computers that provide services or resources to other computers on a network.

   Grammar: Technical term; often used in the plural in networking contexts.

   Patterns

   • web hosts
   • network hosts

   The web hosts store the website files and make them available online.

   Each of the hosts on the network has a unique IP address.

   Cloud hosts offer scalable resources for businesses.

4. 4nouncountablebiologytechnical

   In biology, organisms that a parasite lives on or in and gets food from.

   Grammar: Technical term; usually used in the plural when talking about multiple organisms.

   Patterns

   • hosts of a parasite
   • intermediate hosts

   The malaria parasite needs both human and mosquito hosts to complete its life cycle.

   Some worms can live in multiple hosts.

   The hosts provide nutrients for the parasites.

5. 5verbtransitive

   To organize and present an event, show, or activity, often as the person in charge.

   Grammar: Takes an object: 'She hosts a TV show.'

   Patterns

   • host something
   • host an event

   She hosts a popular radio program every morning.

   The university will host the annual science fair next month.

   They hosted a charity gala to raise funds for the hospital.

6. 6verbtransitivecomputing

   To provide the space, equipment, or online platform for an event or service.

   Grammar: Takes an object: 'The server hosts the website.'

   Patterns

   • host something
   • host a website

   The company hosts its own email servers.

   We host our blog on a secure platform.

   The museum hosted the exhibition for three months.

Word forms

Common combinations

host a party

They decided to host a party for their anniversary.

host an event

The city will host an international music festival.

host a show

He hosts a comedy show on Friday nights.

web host

We need to find a reliable web host for our new site.

host family

The exchange student stayed with a host family.

Synonyms and how they differ

presenter

A person who introduces and leads a show; more common in British English for TV or radio.

organizer

Someone who plans and arranges an event; focuses on the planning rather than the welcoming role.

emcee

A master of ceremonies; informal and often used for live events.

Opposites

Word family

hostess noun

A female host, especially for a party or restaurant.

hosting noun

The act of providing facilities or organizing an event.

Commonly confused: hosts or hostel? hosts or ghost?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “hosts”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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