host
gb/hˈoʊst/ us/hˈoʊst/
A2
English
~ 2700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
Person who welcomes guests
A person who invites and looks after guests.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is the host of [an event]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'host' with 'guest'; remember, a host is the one giving the welcome, not receiving it.
Synonyms
presenter (Used mainly for someone introducing a television or radio program.)
|
emcee (Informal term, especially in entertainment settings.)
Antonyms
guest (The opposite role in a social or event setting.)
Collocations
gracious host
|party host
|wedding host
|TV host
Themes
daily life
|social
|events
|relationships
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The host greeted each guest at the door.
- Our host prepared a delicious dinner for us.
- As the host, she made sure everyone felt comfortable.
Learner examples
- The host said hello to me.
- Our host gave us food and drink.
- He is the host of the show.
Verb
B1
action
2
Organize and provide event space
To plan and hold an event in a place you control.
Usage pattern:
to host [an event]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think 'host' only means 'to be present at', but it means to arrange and provide the place for an event.
Synonyms
organize (Focuses on planning rather than providing space.)
|
hold (More general, can mean simply to have an event happen.)
Antonyms
attend (To go to an event rather than organize it.)
Collocations
host a party
|host a meeting
|host a conference
|host a dinner
Themes
events
|business
|daily life
|work
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- We will host the annual conference at our headquarters.
- They hosted a charity dinner last weekend.
- The museum is hosting an exhibition of modern art.
Learner examples
- We will host a big party.
- She will host the meeting.
- The school will host a play.
Noun
B1
entity
3
Broadcast program presenter
A person who talks to the audience and guides a TV, radio, or online show.
Synonyms
anchor (Typically used for news programs.)
|
presenter (Common in British English for TV and radio hosts.)
Collocations
TV host
|radio host
|podcast host
Themes
media
|entertainment
|communication
|arts_entertainment
|work
Examples
- The talk show host asked the celebrity about her new movie.
- He works as a radio host on a morning show.
- The podcast host introduced the topic of the day.
Learner examples
- The TV host smiled at the camera.
- She is the host of a radio show.
- The podcast host talks to many people.
Noun
technical
B2
entity
4
Organism supporting another organism
An animal or plant that another animal or plant lives on or inside and gets food from.
Synonyms
carrier (Can mean an organism that harbors a pathogen; not always providing sustenance.)
Collocations
host cell
|host species
|host organism
Themes
science
|biology
|health
|animals
Examples
- Humans are the primary host for this virus.
- The mosquito acts as a host for the parasite.
- The plant serves as a host to several fungi.
Learner examples
- A dog can be a host for fleas.
- The body is a host for bacteria.
- This plant is a host for insects.
Noun
B2
quantity
5
Large number of things or people
A lot of people or things together.
Synonyms
multitude (More formal and literary.)
|
crowd (Usually refers specifically to people gathered physically together.)
Collocations
a host of problems
|a host of opportunities
Themes
quantity
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The project faced a host of difficulties.
- She has a host of friends in the city.
- There are a host of reasons to support the plan.
Learner examples
- He has a host of books.
- We have a host of ideas.
- There are a host of problems here.
Grammar
Dictionary form
host
IPA
GB/hˈoʊst/
US/hˈoʊst/
Syllables & stress
host (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (host)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: host
- Plural: hosts
Verb
- Base: host
- 3rd Person Singular: hosts
- Present Participle: hosting
- Past: hosted
Word family
Expressions
a host of
1/ə hˈoʊst əv/
fixed phrase
Large number of things or people
A lot of people or things together.
Examples
- There are a host of reasons why this plan will work.
- She has a host of ideas for the new project.
play host to
1/plˈeɪ hˈoʊst tə/
fixed phrase
Act as someone hosting guests
To be the person or place that receives guests for an event.
Examples
- The city will play host to the international summit next year.
- Our school is playing host to students from abroad this week.