English

Alternative forms

• hostessship

Noun

hostess-ship ‎(uncountable)

1. The state or position of being a hostess.
   • 1623, William Shakespeare, The Winter's Tale, Act IV, line 294-6, in 1788, Samuel Johnson, George Steevens, John Bell, The Dramatick Writings of Will. Shakspere, page 74

     It is my father's will, I should take on me / The hostessship o' the day : You're welcome, sir! / Give me those flowers there, Dorcas.

Usage notes

• The unabridged second edition of Webster's Dictionary spells this term hostessship, with no hyphen. A hyphen was inserted in subsequent editions.
• The First Folio edition of The Winter's Tale spells this term hostesseship here.