hostie

/ˈhəʊsti/

//ˈhəʊsti// noun

"hostie" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“hostie” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - the consecrated bread or wafer of the Eucharist, host.

Corpus desk

Index EN-hostie · hostie · English

hostie · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "H" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for hostie
PropertyValue
Headwordhostie
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈhəʊsti/
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “hostie” in English

hostieranks outside the top 100,000 English headwords, in the long tail of specialist, archaic, or seldom-used vocabulary, exactly the territory where a reader stops mid-sentence to double-check spelling.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

hostie is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈhəʊsti/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "the consecrated bread or wafer of the Eucharist, host.".

hostie has no tracked misspelling variants, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Middle French hostie, from Latin hostia. The correct English form is hostie, spelled H-O-S-T-I-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    the consecrated bread or wafer of the Eucharist, host.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how hostie appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. 1694 August 9, James Drummond, 4th Earl of Perth, Letter XII, in 1845, William Jerdan (editor), Letters from James, Earl of Perth, Lord Chancellor of Scotland, &c, to His Sister, Countess of Erroll, and Other Members of His Family, page 40, This Hostie* is carryed about the streets in procession : and really it is very fine to see the solemnity.
  2. But he went to another Prieſt, that lived in the Court, who gave him the pix with an hoſtie in it.

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French hostie, from Latin hostia.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "hostie"?
"hostie" is spelled H-O-S-T-I-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhəʊsti/.
What does "hostie" mean?
As a noun, "hostie" means: the consecrated bread or wafer of the Eucharist, host.
How do you pronounce "hostie"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "hostie" is /ˈhəʊsti/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "hostie"?
Borrowed from Middle French hostie, from Latin hostia. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list