Pronunciation: /ˈhɑstɪdʒ/

Definitions of hostage

noun a person who is captured and held as a prisoner by a potential enemy

Example Sentences

A1 The hostage was rescued by the police.

A2 The hostage situation ended peacefully.

B1 The hostage negotiation lasted for hours.

B2 The hostages were released unharmed.

C1 The hostage crisis was finally resolved after intense negotiations.

C2 The hostage taker was apprehended and the hostages were freed.

adjective related to or characteristic of a hostage

Example Sentences

A1 The hostage situation was resolved peacefully.

A2 The hostage negotiator successfully saved the hostages.

B1 The hostage crisis lasted for several days before being resolved.

B2 The hostage taker demanded a ransom for the release of the hostages.

C1 The hostage rescue team was deployed to secure the release of the hostages.

C2 The hostage situation was a complex operation that required careful planning and execution.

Examples of hostage in a Sentence

formal The hostage situation was resolved peacefully by the trained negotiators.

informal The hostage was finally released after hours of negotiations.

slang The hostage was freed after the cops swooped in.

figurative I felt like a hostage to my job, unable to leave even though I wanted to.

Grammatical Forms of hostage

past tense

hostaged

plural

hostages

comparative

more hostage

superlative

most hostage

present tense

hostage

future tense

will hostage

perfect tense

have hosted

continuous tense

is hosting

singular

hostage

positive degree

hostage

infinitive

to hostage

gerund

hostaging

participle

hostaging

Origin and Evolution of hostage

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Latin
Story behind the word: The word 'hostage' originated from the Old French word 'hostage' which came from the Latin word 'hostia' meaning 'sacrifice' or 'victim'.
Evolution of the word: Originally, 'hostage' referred to a person given as a pledge or security for the fulfillment of certain conditions. Over time, the meaning has evolved to refer to a person who is seized or held captive to compel another party to act in a certain way.