host

host · noun, verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European*gʰóstis
2. Proto-Indo-European*pótis
3. Proto-Indo-European*gʰóstipotis
4. Proto-Italic*hostipotis
5. Latinhospes
6. Old Frenchoste
7. Middle Englishhoste
8. English todayhost

From Middle English hoste, from Old French oste (French: hôte), from Latin hospitem, accusative of hospes (“a host, also a sojourner, visitor, guest; hence, a foreigner, a stranger”), from *hostipotis, an old compound of hostis and the root of potis, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰóstipotis (“master of guests”), from *gʰóstis (“stranger, guest, enemy”) and *pótis (“owner, master, host, husband”). Used in English since 13th century.

host · noun²

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*gʰóstis
2. Latin · derived fromhostis“foreign enemy”
3. Old French · derived fromost
4. Middle English · inherited fromoost
5. English todayhost

From Middle English oost, borrowed from Old French ost, oste, hoste, from Latin hostis (“foreign enemy”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰóstis (as opposed to inimicus (“personal enemy”)). Doublet of guest.

host · noun³

1. Latin · derived fromhostia“sacrificial victim”
2. Old French · derived fromhoiste
3. Middle English · inherited fromhost
4. English todayhost

From Middle English host, oist, ost, from Old French hoiste, from Latin hostia (“sacrificial victim”). Doublet of hostie.

Words from the same roots