Is 'host' both masculine and feminine?

Answer 1

In English there are no masculine or feminine forms. English uses gender specific nouns for a male or a female.

The gender specific noun for a male is host; the gender specific noun for a female is hostess.

The noun 'host' may be used as a common gender noun. Language is a living thing, it evolves over time. Some gender specific nouns are becoming common gender nouns. Today, many actresses call themselves an actor; most writers call themselves an author, few still use the gender specific, authoress; the gender specific nouns aviator and aviatrix are now obsolete in favor of the common gender noun, pilot. But some will stay with us for a while yet, like mother and father.

However, the term 'the host with the most' doesn't have as bright a ring as 'the hostess with the mostess'.