Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [hos-tij]
- /ˈhɒs tɪdʒ/
- /ˈhɒs.tɪdʒ/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [hos-tij]
- /ˈhɒs tɪdʒ/
Definitions of hostage word
- noun hostage a person given or held as security for the fulfillment of certain conditions or terms, promises, etc., by another. 1
- noun hostage Archaic. a security or pledge. 1
- noun hostage Obsolete. the condition of a hostage. 1
- verb with object hostage to give (someone) as a hostage: He was hostaged to the Indians. 1
- noun hostage A person seized or held as security for the fulfillment of a condition. 1
- noun hostage person taken prisoner 1
Information block about the term
Origin of hostage
First appearance:
before 1225 One of the 9% oldest English words
1225-75; Middle English < Old French hostage (h- by association with (h)oste host2), ostage ≪ Vulgar Latin *obsidāticum state of being a hostage < Latin obsid- (stem of obses) hostage (equivalent to ob- ob- + sid- sit1) + -āticum -age
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Hostage
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
hostage popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 81% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
hostage usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for hostage
noun hostage
- prisoner — a person who is confined in prison or kept in custody, especially as the result of legal process.
- captive — A captive person or animal is being kept imprisoned or enclosed.
- victim — a person who suffers from a destructive or injurious action or agency: a victim of an automobile accident.
- scapegoat — a person or group made to bear the blame for others or to suffer in their place.
- pledge — a solemn promise or agreement to do or refrain from doing something: a pledge of aid; a pledge not to wage war.
Antonyms for hostage
noun hostage
- captor — You can refer to the person who has captured a person or animal as their captor.
Top questions with hostage
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- what was the hostage system?
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See also
Matching words
- Words starting with h
- Words starting with ho
- Words starting with hos
- Words starting with host
- Words starting with hosta
- Words starting with hostag
- Words starting with hostage