hospitality

What it means

1. countableuncountableThe act or service of welcoming, receiving, hosting, or entertaining guests; an appropriate attitude of openness, respect, and generosity toward guests.

   Please thank our hosts for their hospitality during the week that we stayed.

   4 more examples

   "Quarrels!" said Charles; "do not use so disagreeable a word. I am thinking of nothing but the thanks I owe Lord Avonleigh for his hospitality"—Lord Avonleigh bent to the very edge of the table—"and the favours I am about to ask."

   1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XLII, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 350

   In Ancient Times, as Story tells, / The Saints would often leave their Cells, / And ſtrole about, but hide their Quality, / To try good Peoples Hoſpitality.

   1708, [Jonathan Swift], “The Metamorphosis of Baucis and Philemon, Burlesqu’d; from the 8th Book of Ovid”, in Baucis and Philemon; a Poem. […], London: […] H. Hills, […], published 1709, →OCLC, page 3

   Mr Venus, reminded of the duties of hospitality, produced some rum.

   1864 May – 1865 November, Charles Dickens, Our Mutual Friend. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1865, →OCLC

   We were over the border here, into Northern Ireland, and the post office had a very English atmosphere. It was pleasant, too, much as we enjoyed the hospitality of the Republic, to be buying stamps with the Queen's head on them, and to be posting our cards in a red pillar-box, instead of a green one.

   1955 June, Rev. A. W. V. Mace, “An Irish Journey—2”, in Railway Magazine, page 393

   Synonyms: guestfriendship · Antonyms: inhospitality

2. countableuncountablebusinessThe business of providing catering, lodging and entertainment service; the industry which includes the operation of hotels, restaurants, and similar enterprises.

   After graduating from college, she found a job in hospitality.

3. countableuncountableThe food, drink, and entertainment given to customers by a company or organization or provided to visitors by a private host.

In a sentence

Please thank our hosts for their hospitality during the week that we stayed.

Where it comes from

1. Latinhospitālitās“hospitality”
2. Old Frenchhospitalité
3. Middle Englishhospitalite
4. Englishhospitality

From Middle English hospitalite, from Old French hospitalité (modern French hospitalité), from Latin hospitālitās (“hospitality”), from hospitālis (“hospitable”), from hospes (“guest", "host”). Displaced native Old English cumlīþnes (literally “guest gentleness”).