Standard Lemma guide

hosta

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • UK: /ˈhɒstə/
  • US: /ˈhoʊ stə/
  • US: /ˈhɑs tə/
  • rhymes with -ɒstə

1

noun

Meaning 1

Any of several herbaceous Asiatic plants of the genus Hosta.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: giboshi, plantain lily

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

robust east Asian clump-forming perennial herbs having racemose flowers: plantain lilies; sometimes placed in family Hostaceae

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: genus Hosta, Funka, genus Funka

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: liliid monocot genus

History

Etymology

Borrowed from translingual Hosta f, from Serbo-Croatian Host + translingual -a f. Named after Nicolaus Thomas Host, Croatian-Austrian botanist.