Guest

The word designates today a guest to stay, invited visitors. Just as the etymologically related with it in terms other Germanic ( OHG / MHG / AS. guest, guest Goth, ar. Striped candles, ae. Giest and afr. Jest ), Slavic ( aksl. Gosti ) and Romance languages ​​(lat. hostis, hospes ) it originally meant stranger. On one hand you had to grant the stranger guest law, on the other hand he could close with hostile intent.

A guest (plural: guests) today is a person that hosts free or paid, hosted or promoted. Typical accommodation enterprises are hotels, guest houses and hostels. Even visitors from other service industries catering guests are called. In general, a guest will have a limited time only to the landlord.

The term refers to both male and female guests. The word is one of the few German male nouns that refer to a person, but for which no female form has become common.