hospitality

hospitality — noun

1. The warm and generous way you behave towards people who come to visit you, makin

1.nounB1
Definition

The warm and generous way you behave towards people who come to visit you, making sure they feel welcome and looked after.

Example

When we arrived at her house, Anya greeted us with such warmth and hospitality that we felt completely at ease.

The mountain villagers are famous for their hospitality, often inviting strangers to share a meal with their family.

collocation: famous for their hospitality

Common collocations
  • warm hospitality
  • extend hospitality to
  • show someone hospitality
  • famous for (one's) hospitality
  • traditional hospitality
Synonyms
  • welcome

    more concrete — emphasises the act of receiving someone rather than the ongoing attitude

  • warmth

    focuses on the emotional quality rather than the specific actions of hosting

  • generosity

    broader — not limited to hosting; can refer to giving in general

Antonyms
  • hostility

    opposite in attitude; unfriendliness towards visitors

  • coldness

    lack of warmth or welcome towards guests

Usage Note

Often describes the attitude and actions of a host in a home setting, especially the effort to make guests feel comfortable.

Common Mistakes

She showed me a great hospitality.
She showed me great hospitality.
'hospitality' is uncountable; do not use 'a' before it.

2. The food, drinks, and leisure offerings made available by a company or other org

2.nounB2
Definition

The food, drinks, and leisure offerings made available by a company or other organization to its visitors, clients, or business guests during formal visits or events.

Example

The conference organisers set up a hospitality lounge where attendees could enjoy free coffee and pastries between sessions.

collocation: hospitality lounge

Mert's company offered its top clients a weekend of hospitality with a boat trip and dinner at a famous restaurant.

Common collocations
  • corporate hospitality
  • hospitality lounge
  • hospitality suite
  • hospitality package
  • hospitality service
  • provide hospitality
Synonyms
  • entertainment

    narrower — focuses on leisure activities, not the full range of services or food

  • catering

    restricted to food and drink; does not include entertainment or services

Usage Note

Often appears in business contexts referring to events or services paid for by a company. Frequently appears as a modifier: 'hospitality suite', 'hospitality lounge', 'hospitality package'.

3. The business sector made up of hotels, restaurants, cafés, bars, and other place

3.nounB2
Definition

The business sector made up of hotels, restaurants, cafés, bars, and other places that serve customers with food, drinks, accommodation, or entertainment.

Example

After studying hospitality management at university, Christopher took a job as the manager of a large hotel in Kaohsiung.

collocation: hospitality management

The hospitality industry was hit hard by the pandemic, with many hotels and restaurants forced to close temporarily.

collocation: hospitality industry

Common collocations
  • hospitality industry
  • hospitality sector
  • hospitality management
  • hospitality business
  • work in hospitality
  • hospitality company
  • hospitality professional
Synonyms
  • hotel and catering industry

    more specific and formal; commonly used in British English

  • tourism

    broader — includes travel, attractions, and transport, not just food and accommodation

Usage Note

Used as a shorthand for 'the hospitality industry'. Unlike senses 1 and 2, this sense refers to a career field or economic sector rather than a type of behaviour or service.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Welcome' is the most concrete of the three — it refers to the specific act of receiving someone, such as a greeting or a party, rather than an ongoing attitude. 'Hospitality' covers the whole experience of being looked after as a guest: the welcome, the food, the comfort of the home. 'Warmth' focuses on the emotional quality behind the actions — kindness, friendliness, sincerity — without naming any particular hosting activities. 'Generosity' is broader still; it can apply to any giving situation, not just hosting. For example: 'The welcome at the airport was warm, but the hospitality of the family over the whole weekend was unforgettable.'

welcome ↗warmth ↗generosity ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • hospitality of
  • extend hospitality to
  • show hospitality towards

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'hospitality' comes from Latin 'hospitalitas', meaning 'kindness to guests'. This traces back to 'hospes' (guest, host, or stranger), which is also the root of 'host', 'hostel', 'hotel', and 'hospital'. The word entered Middle English through Old French 'ospitalité' in the 14th century, originally referring to the Christian duty of sheltering travellers, and later broadened to general kindness towards visitors.