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1. Dictionary

   Hos·tage

   /ˈhästij/

   

   noun

   • 1. a person seized or held as security for the fulfillment of a condition: "three hostages were released but only after their families paid an estimated $200,000 to the guerrillas"

   Word Origin Middle English: from Old French, based on late Latin obsidatus ‘the state of being a hostage’ (the earliest sense in English), from Latin obses, obsid- ‘hostage’.

   Scrabble Points: 11

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2. People also ask

   What is the meaning of hostage?

   • A person held as a pledge that certain terms or agreements will be kept. (The taking of hostages is forbidden under the Geneva Conventions, 1949.) Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms.

   Hostage-taking - definition of Hostage-taking by The Free

   www.thefreedictionary.com/Hostage-taking

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   What does it mean if a person is held hostage?

   • If you say you are hostage to something, you mean that your freedom to take action is restricted by things that you cannot control . Wine growers say they've been held hostage to the interests of the cereal and soybean farmers. Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary.

   HOSTAGE definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/hostage

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   What does it mean if a cat is a hostage?

   • A hostage is a prisoner taken by kidnappers and held until the kidnappers get whatever they’re asking for. If you refuse to empty the litter box, your roommate might take your cat as a hostage until you clean it. When hostages are taken, the hostage-takers often ask for ransom, which is money paid for the hostages.

   Hostage - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/hostage

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   What is the Old English word for a hostage?

   • The Old English word for a hostage was ‘gisl’. This word is similar to the Irish ‘giall’ and to the Welsh ‘gwystl’. A hostage could be of a noble background, kept at the court of his captors to ensure the good behaviour of his own master, the captors’ enemy.

   The Anglo-Saxons: Hostages, Oaths, Treaties and Treachery ...

   weaponsandwarfare.com/2020/10/12/the-anglo-saxons-hostages-oaths-treaties-and-treachery-i/

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3. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › hostageHostage Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › hostage

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   A hostage is a person held by one party in a conflict as a pledge or taken by force to secure the taker's demands. Learn the etymology, history, and examples of the word hostage from Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

4. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishHOSTAGE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

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   A hostage is someone who is taken as a prisoner by an enemy in order to force the other people involved to do what the enemy wants. Learn more about the meaning, usage and idioms of hostage with Cambridge Dictionary.

5. Videos

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     collinsdictionary.com

     HOSTAGE definition in American English | Collins English Dictionary

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     Hostage Meaning

     Apr 16, 2015

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     vocabulary.com

     Hostage - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

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6. www.dictionary.com › browse › hostageHOSTAGE Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › hostage

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   noun. a person given to or held by a person, organization, etc, as a security or pledge or for ransom, release, exchange for prisoners, etc. the state of being held as a hostage. any security or pledge. give hostages to fortune.

7. dictionary.cambridge.org › english › hostageHOSTAGE | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › english › hostage

   • Cached

   A hostage is someone who is taken as a prisoner by an enemy in order to force the other people involved to do what the enemy wants. Learn more about the meaning, usage and pronunciation of hostage, and see examples and translations in different languages.

8. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishHOSTAGE definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

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   3 days ago · A hostage is someone who is captured and held by a person or organization until certain conditions are met. Learn more about the word origin, usage, idioms and related terms of hostage from Collins Dictionary.

9. www.thefreedictionary.com › hostageHostage - definition of hostage by The Free Dictionary

   www.thefreedictionary.com › hostage

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   A hostage is a person held by one party in a conflict as security that specified terms will be met by the opposing party. The web page provides various definitions, synonyms, translations and related terms for hostage from different sources.

10. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › hostageHostage - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

    www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › hostage

    /ˈhɑstɪdʒ/ /ˈhɒstɪdʒ/ IPA guide. Other forms: hostages. A hostage is a prisoner taken by kidnappers and held until the kidnappers get whatever they’re asking for. If you refuse to empty the litter box, your roommate might take your cat as a hostage until you clean it.