Dictionary formhospes, hospitis(masculine)
Translation
guest; host; stranger, foreigner
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Grammar
Cases
| Case | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominativethe subject | hospes | hospites |
| Vocativecalling someone: O ... | hospes | hospites |
| Accusativethe direct object; after ad, in (into), per | hospitem | hospites |
| Genitiveof | hospitis | hospitum |
| Dativeto, for | hospiti | hospitibus |
| Ablativeby, with, from; after a, ab, cum, de, e, ex, in (in), sine | hospite | hospitibus |
Examples
.
A guest came into the house.
.
He received the guest in his own house.
.
Many guests were sitting at the table.
.
The rights of guests are sacred.
.
I am a stranger in this land.
Hospes, hospitis, m. and f., third declension. The nominative hides the stem, which is hospit-, so every other form gains a syllable. The word means both guest and host, and that is not sloppiness: it names the bond of hospitium rather than the side you happen to be standing on, and the obligation ran both ways under the protection of Jupiter. Context decides which end you are at.
From the same root comes hostis, which also began as "stranger" before it hardened into "enemy" - the same ambivalence, resolved the other way. A feminine hospita exists for a woman. English owes it hospital, hospice, hostel, hotel and hospitality, and host in both its welcoming and its parasitological senses.
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hospes: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Latin word "hospes" (guest; host; stranger, foreigner): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is taught in chapter 7, lesson 1: hospes, interim, quemadmodum and 7 more words.