# hosting

/ˈhoʊstɪŋ/ (US) · /hˈəʊstɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hosting
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. organizing an event

verb · CEFR A2

the act of inviting people to an event and looking after them.

For teachers: the present participle of 'host', referring to the act of providing the venue and facilities for a social or professional event.

- Our school is hosting a big sports competition next month.
- By hosting the international summit, the city hoped to demonstrate its capacity for managing large-scale logistical challenges and high-security events.

Usage: As a verb, it is transitive and requires an object representing the event or guests.

### 2. internet services

noun · CEFR B1

a service that provides space on a computer so a website can be seen on the internet.

For teachers: the business or technical process of providing storage space and access for websites or applications on a server.

- We need to pay for our website hosting every year.
- The company migrated to a cloud-based hosting provider to ensure their platform could handle the sudden surge in user traffic.

Usage: Often used as an uncountable noun in a business context.

### 3. a battle

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

an old word for a battle or a large group of soldiers.

For teachers: an obsolete term referring to an encounter between hostile forces or a military muster.

- The old stories tell of a great hosting on the fields of battle.
- The chronicler described the hosting of the clans, where thousands gathered under their respective banners to settle the long-standing border dispute.

Teaching tip: This sense is archaic and only found in historical or fantasy literature; modern speakers should use 'battle' or 'gathering'.

## Examples

- Our school is hosting a big sports competition next week.
- The local community center is hosting a series of free workshops for small business owners throughout the summer.
- By hosting the international summit, the city hopes to demonstrate its capacity for large-scale logistics while simultaneously boosting the local hospitality sector.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.