A woman who receives and entertains guests, or a woman employed to welcome customers.
Hostess traces back to Latin 'hostis' meaning 'stranger' or 'enemy' - the same root that gives us 'hostile.' In ancient Rome, a 'hospes' was both 'host' and 'guest' because the relationship between strangers was inherently dangerous and required careful ritual management. The host had sacred duties to protect guests, while guests had obligations not to harm hosts. A hostess was originally a woman managing these potentially deadly social encounters.
The word hostess carries ancient anxiety about strangers - it comes from the same root as 'hostile' because welcoming unknown people into your home was genuinely risky! Roman hospitality rituals were elaborate because they transformed potential enemies into protected guests. Every dinner party hostess today is unconsciously performing this ancient magic of turning strangers into friends.
Feminine suffix enforces gender coding of hospitality labor; parallel role 'host' for men remains unmarked, naturalizing male dominance in public space management
Use 'host' as gender-neutral term for both roles; specify gender only when relevant to context
["host","hospitality coordinator","event facilitator"]
Women hospitality workers historically underpaid and unrecognized; labor movements led by women fought for service industry rights and dignity
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