host

  1. A molecular entity that forms complexes with organic or inorganic guests, or a chemical species that can accommodate guests within cavities of its crystal structure. Examples include cryptands and crowns (where there are ion-dipole attractions between heteroatoms and positive ions), hydrogen-bonded molecules that form 'clathrates' (e.g. hydroquinone and water), and host molecules of inclusion compounds (e.g. urea or thiourea). van der Waals forces and hydrophobic interactions bind the guest to the host molecule in clathrates and inclusion compounds.
    Source:
    PAC, 1994, 66, 1077 (Glossary of terms used in physical organic chemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1994)) on page 1122
  2. (in biotechnology) A cell whose metabolism is used for growth and reproduction of a virus, plasmid or other form of foreign DNA.
Source:
PAC, 1992, 64, 143 (Glossary for chemists of terms used in biotechnology (IUPAC Recommendations 1992)) on page 156