hostess-ship

See also: hostessship

English

Alternative forms

• hostessship

Etymology

From hostess +‎ -ship.

Noun

hostess-ship (uncountable)

1. The state or position of being a hostess.
   • c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)], lines 294-6:

     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.