English Reference
Adjective

hospitable

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈhɑˈspɪtəbəɫ/ UK /hɒspˈɪtəbəl/ hos·pitable

adj.friendly and welcoming to guests. You use this to describe a person who makes you feel comfortable when you visit their home.

adj.friendly and welcoming to guests; providing a pleasant and comfortable environment for visitors.


SIMPLE

The host was very hospitable and served us a wonderful meal.

CONTEXTUAL

We stayed in a small, hospitable village where the locals were eager to share stories about the area's history.

COMPLEX

The hotel's reputation for being hospitable is built on its staff's ability to anticipate every guest's needs before they are even voiced.

JJ Warmington and his dad Scrawler Joe Warmington wore certain clues they were Canadian across enemy lines in Buffalo, but found Americans courteous, hospitable and welcoming.

Toronto Sun· 28 Aug 2026

Borrowed from Middle French hospitable, formed from the root of Latin hospitare with the suffix -able. Displaced native Old English cumlīþe (literally “guest-gentle”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin hospitare
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated