hostess

noun

No English definition recorded for this entry.

Pronunciation: /ˈhoʊstɪs/ / /ˈhəʊstəs/

Etymology: From Middle English hostesse, from Middle French hostesse, from Old French ostesce, made up of oste (“host”) + -esce (“feminine marker”).

A female host.
“The host and hostess greeted their guests at the door.”
“The [Washington] Post's proprietor through those turbulent [Watergate] days, Katharine Graham, held a double place in Washington’s hierarchy: at once regal Georgetown hostess and scrappy newshound, ready to hold the establishment to account.”
A female innkeeper.
Stewardess: a woman steward on an airplane.
A bar hostess or bargirl; a paid female companion offering conversation and in some cases sex.
A female prostitute.

Etymology: From Middle English hostesse, from Middle French hostesse, from Old French ostesce, made up of oste (“host”) + -esce (“feminine marker”).

To host, as a woman.
“Later in January, the alum club hostessed the initiation brunch at the Pi Beta Phi chapter house. It was thrilling to see so many girls with such enthusiasm!”
“Over the years she has maintained a close relationship with several former students. Currently, she alternates between visiting and hostessing two in Roanoke and Greenville, N.C., respectively, and is a proud godgrandmother to one’s new baby.”