English

guestage

Blend of guest + hostage.

Proto-Germanic *gastiz ‘stranger’

Proto-Norse *gastiz

Old Norse gestr

Middle English gest ‘a guest’

English guest

Proto-Indo-European *gʰóstipotis ‘lord, master’

…

Latin hospes ‘host’

Old French oste ‘host’

Old French hostage

Middle English hostage

Today it means

noun A person held against their will in Kuwait under the rule of Saddam Hussein.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / guestage