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noun B2 Upper-Intermediate Common

hospitality

hos-pih-TAL-ih-tee

Hospitality (noun) means Friendly, generous treatment of guests or visitors. Example: “We were grateful for their hospitality during our stay.”

noun
1
Friendly, generous treatment of guests or visitors.
"We were grateful for their hospitality during our stay."
"Thank you for your hospitality — the meal was wonderful."
2
The industry covering hotels, restaurants, and similar businesses.
"She has worked in hospitality for over a decade, mostly managing hotels."

How to Use Hospitality

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishWarm treatment of guests, or the industry of hotels, restaurants, and events.

Common pairings
show hospitality hospitality industry corporate hospitality

Word Forms

hospitalities plural

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Test yourself on “hospitality” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

We were grateful for their _____ during our stay.

Etymology

From Latin hospitalitas, built from hospes, meaning both "host" and "guest."

Origin: Latin

warmth friendliness welcome generosity cordiality graciousness

Related Words

Rhymes for hospitality

See all rhymes for hospitality →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “hospitality” mean?

The word “hospitality” means friendly, generous treatment of guests or visitors. In plain terms, warm treatment of guests, or the industry of hotels, restaurants, and events.

How do you pronounce “hospitality”?

“Hospitality” is pronounced hos-pih-TAL-ih-tee (/ˌhɑ.spɪˈtæl.ə.ti/ in IPA).

How do you use “hospitality” in a sentence?

Here is “hospitality” used in a sentence: “We were grateful for their hospitality during our stay.”

What part of speech is “hospitality”?

“Hospitality” is a noun.

Where does the word “hospitality” come from?

The word “hospitality” comes from Latin. From Latin hospitalitas, built from hospes, meaning both "host" and "guest.".

Is “hospitality” a common word?

“Hospitality” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “hospitality” have?

“Hospitality” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: friendly, generous treatment of guests or visitors.

What is the difference between hospitality and hostility?

Despite sounding similar, the two words are near opposites. Hospitality is the friendly, generous welcome you give to guests, while hostility is unfriendliness or open aggression toward someone.

What is the difference between hospitality and the hospitality industry?

In everyday use, hospitality means the warm, generous treatment of guests and visitors. As an industry term, "the hospitality industry" refers to the businesses that provide such services for a living, including hotels, restaurants, bars, and event venues.

What are common phrases using hospitality?

Hospitality often appears in phrases such as "show hospitality," "offer hospitality," "warm hospitality," and "Southern hospitality." In business settings it pairs with words like sector, industry, suite, and management.

Is hospitality a formal or informal word?

Hospitality is neutral and works in both everyday and formal contexts. It is common in casual speech ("thanks for your hospitality") and in professional or academic writing about the service and tourism sectors.

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