hostage etymology

Etymology:

  • Host: Middle English, from Old French hoste, from Latin hospes (guest, host)
  • Age: Middle English, from Old French otage (hostage), from Late Latin obsidagium (hostage)

Meaning:

A hostage is a person taken into custody as a pledge or guarantee for the performance of certain conditions or the fulfillment of an agreement.

Origin:

The concept of taking hostages originated in ancient times, when warring parties would seize individuals from opposing groups to ensure the safe return of their own members. These hostages were often held as prisoners or treated as slaves until the terms of the agreement were met.

In the Middle Ages, hostage-taking became a common practice during feudal conflicts and religious wars. Lords and knights would often take hostages from enemy territories to secure the payment of ransoms or to force compliance with their demands.

During the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods, the use of hostages became increasingly regulated by international law. The Geneva Convention, adopted in 1949, established specific rules for the treatment of hostages during wartime.

Today, hostage-taking is considered a grave violation of international law and is condemned by the United Nations and other organizations. It continues to be a serious problem in certain regions of the world, particularly in areas of conflict and terrorism.

hostage relate terms

  • host

    Etymology The word host comes from the Old English word hōst which in turn is deri

  • able

    Etymology of able The word able comes from the Old French word habile which in tur

  • heir

    Etymology The word heir comes from the Old English word ierfe which originally meant

  • hour

    Etymology The word hour comes from the Latin word hora which means hour time seas

  • humble

    Etymology The word humble comes from the Latin word humilis which means low or on

  • humor

    Etymology The word humor derives from the Latin word humor meaning liquid or mois

  • herb

    Etymology The word herb originates from the Latin word herba which means green plan

  • hostage

    Etymology Host Middle English from Old French hoste from Latin hospes guest host

  • hermit

    Etymology The word hermit comes from the Late Latin word eremita which in turn is d

  • Euxine

  • guest

    Etymology The word guest comes from the Old English word gæst which is cognate with

  • hospice

    Etymology and Meaning Hospice derives from Latin hospitium meaning guest house or sh

  • hospitable

    Etymology The word hospitable is derived from the Late Latin word hospitalis which

  • hospital

    Etymology and Origin of Hospital The word hospital comes from the Latin word hospita

  • hospitality

    Etymology The word hospitality is derived from the Latin words hospes meaning gues

  • hospodar

    Etymology Late Middle French from Romanian hospodar from Medieval Latin hospodar ius

  • host

    Etymology The word host comes from the Old English word hōst which in turn is deri

  • host

    Etymology The word host comes from the Old English word hōst which in turn is deri

  • hostage

    Etymology Host Middle English from Old French hoste from Latin hospes guest host

  • hostel

    Etymology The word hostel originates from the Old French word hostel which means i

  • hostile

    Etymology The word hostile comes from the Latin word hostis which means enemy or

  • hostility

    Etymology Hostility is derived from the Latin word hostilis hostile which is linked

  • hostler

    Etymology Middle English hostiler from Old French hostelier from Latin hospitālis

  • hotel

    Etymology The word hotel derives from the Old French word ostel which means house

  • Xenia

    Etymology Derived from the Ancient Greek word xenos ξένος meaning guest f

  • xeno

    Etymology Greek xenos ξένος meaning foreigner stranger guest Meaning

  • xenon

    Etymology and Meaning The word xenon comes from the Greek word xenos meaning stran

  • surety

    Etymology The word surety is derived from the Old French word seureté which in turn

  • Stockholm

    Etymology Old Norse Stockholmr Meaning and Origin The name Stockholm is a compound

  • prisoner

    Etymology The word prisoner comes from the Old French word prisoner meaning one wh

  • pledge

    Etymology The word pledge comes from the Old English word plegg meaning a pledge

  • congregation

    Etymology From Middle English congregacioun from Old French congregacion from Late Lat

  • touch

    Etymology Middle English touchin from Old French toucher from Latin tangere meanin

  • course

    Etymology The word course comes from the Old French word curs which means a running

  • interpret

    Etymology is the study of the origin and history of words It involves tracing the word ba

  • care

    Etymology From Middle English care from Old English cāru meaning sorrow anxiety g