Edit page | Page history | Printable version

Guest

1. A visitor; a person received and entertained in one's house or at one's table; a visitor entertained without pay. To cheer his gueste, whom he had stayed that night. (Spenser) True friendship's laws are by this rule exprest. Welcome the coming, speed the parting guest. (Pope)

Origin: oe. Gest, as. Gaest, gest; akin to os, D, & g. Gust, Icel gestr, Sw. Gast, dan. Gjast, goth. Gast, Russ. Goste, and to L. Hostis enemy, stranger; the meaning stranger is the older one, but the root is unknown. Cf. Host an army, hostile.