Pronunciation

How to pronounce “host

“host” is pronounced /hoʊst/ (HOHST) in American English and /həʊst/ in British English — one syllable.
The sound

Say “host” in one beat

Say it like this

host

/hoʊst/

The voice you hear here is American; the British form is /həʊst/ (see the table below), and a British voice is available in the app's settings.

1 beat
  1. hosthoʊst
IPA (American)
/hoʊst/
IPA (British)
/həʊst/
Respelling
HOHST
Syllables
1 — host
Stress
One syllable, so the whole word carries the beat — say /hoʊst/ in one unbroken piece rather than clipping the vowel.
Part of speech
noun, verb
Difficulty
Beginner — most learners get this on the first take
Accents

American and British are not the same here

American

/hoʊst/

British

/həʊst/

No audio here: sayit’s voice is American, so a British button would play the American word. Read the transcription instead.

Meaning

What “host” means

  1. noun

    a person who invites guests to a social event (such as a party in his or her own home) and who is responsible for them while they are there

  2. noun

    a vast multitude

  3. noun

    an animal or plant that nourishes and supports a parasite; it does not benefit and is often harmed by the association

Say it in a sentence

She agreed to host the family dinner this year.
Sound by sound

The sounds inside this word

4 sounds, in the order you say them

Each sound has its own page: where the tongue goes, what it is usually confused with, and words to drill it on.

Questions

host”, answered

How do you pronounce “host”?

“host” is pronounced /hoʊst/ (HOHST) in American English and /həʊst/ in British English — one syllable. It is one unbroken piece — /hoʊst/ — with no pause anywhere inside it.

How many syllables does “host” have?

One, despite the 1 vowel letters in the spelling. The whole word is /hoʊst/ — a single beat.

Is “host” said differently in British English?

Yes. American English says /hoʊst/ (HOHST); British English says /həʊst/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.

What does “host” mean?

As a noun: a person who invites guests to a social event (such as a party in his or her own home) and who is responsible for them while they are there For example: “She agreed to host the family dinner this year.” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.

Where is the stress in “host”?

One syllable, so the whole word carries the beat — say /hoʊst/ in one unbroken piece rather than clipping the vowel.

Practise this word

Now say “host” and see every sound

Record it once and sayit lines your audio up against the target sound by sound — what landed, what slipped, and what it sounded like instead.