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

It is believed there are 100 hostages, both dead and alive, currently being held in Gaza, 96 of whom were taken during Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel last year. —Lauren Izso, Pauline Lockwood and Rob Picheta, CNN, 6 Dec. 2024

Meanwhile, the political problem remains: the nation is held hostage by the lobby and marketing of the gun industry, backed by its supporting voters. —Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 6 Dec. 2024

News of Witkoff's efforts on a ceasefire deal comes after Trump demanded earlier this week the release of hostages held by Hamas before he is sworn into office in January. —Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 6 Dec. 2024

There are now 100 hostages still being held in Gaza, including them seven Americans. —Barak Ravid, Axios, 4 Dec. 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