hostage

noun

hos·​tage ˈhä-stij 

1

a

: a person held by one party in a conflict as a pledge pending the fulfillment of an agreement

b

: a person taken by force to secure the taker's demands

2

: one that is involuntarily controlled by an outside influence

Examples of hostage in a Sentence

The terrorists demanded a plane and a pilot in exchange for the hostages.

The hostage crisis is now entering its second week.

The passengers were taken hostage.

They were held hostage for several days.

Recent Examples on the Web

Israel’s campaign in Gaza - aimed at destroying Hamas and rescuing hostages still being held - has since then killed more than 38,000 people. —Sophie Tanno, CNN, 13 July 2024

Israel launched a punishing military assault in Gaza after Hamas militants crossed the border into Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 hostage. —Yasmeen Abutaleb, Washington Post, 12 July 2024

Almog Meir Jan, one of four hostages from the Gaza Strip rescued in a daring raid by Israeli security forces, filed suit on July 9th against a U.S. nonprofit for employing the Arab journalist who held him captive, thereby aiding and abetting Hamas’s crimes. —David Isaac, Sun Sentinel, 11 July 2024

The individuals, including former hostages and families of U.S. citizens murdered abroad, have sat down with prosecutors and FBI agents in recent months, according to people familiar with the investigation. —Ava Benny-Morrison Bloomberg News (tns), arkansasonline.com, 10 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English hostage, ostage, borrowed from Anglo-French, "lodging, residence, custody of a person held as security against fulfillment of an agreement, the person so held," from hoste "guest, host" + -age -age — more at host entry 1

Note: The peculiar sense shift apparently arose from the Old French use of hostage in verbal phrases such as prendre en hostage "to take in residence, lodge" in reference to the lodging of a person held as surety; the import of hostage was then transferred to the status of such a person, and finally to the actual person.

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing hostage

• a hostage to fortune
• hostage crisis

Kids Definition

hostage

noun

hos·​tage ˈhäs-tij 

: a person held captive as a pledge that promises will be kept or terms met by another