Difference Between Guest and Visitor

Key Difference – Guest vs Visitor
 

The two nouns guest and visitor have somewhat similar meaning. We use both these nouns to describe people who visit our houses. However, there are some occasions where guest and visitor are not synonyms. For example, guest can be synonymous with customer of a hotel whereas visitor can be synonymous with tourist. These nuances in meanings is the key difference between guest and visitor.

What Does Guest Mean?

The noun guest may have several meanings depending on the context. Guest can refer to

– someone who is invited to visit or stay in someone’s home

She warmly welcomed the guests into their house.

I am expecting two guests for dinner.

You can sleep in our guest bedroom.

– someone who is invited to a place or an event as a special honour

The hosts didn’t have time to mingle with the guests properly.

The guests were shocked by the bride’s strange behaviour.

– a customer at a hotel, restaurant, etc.

Two guests complained about the ineffectiveness of the room service.

The manager personally welcomed the guests.

Refreshments were offered to the guests.

What Does Visitor Mean?

A visitor is someone who visits a person or place. This noun is formed from the verb ‘to visit’. Visitors can either visit a house or people in the house or a geographical location or a country. Sometimes the noun visitor can be used synonymously with tourist.

He is a frequent visitor to New York.

Are you expecting visitors this evening?

Visitors to this building must sign at the front desk.

The museum Louvre gets visitors from all over the world.

The police questioned all his visitors, but none of them knew anything.

Sometimes the noun visitor can replace the noun guest. But this is only when we are talking about a person who is invited to visit or stay in someone’s house. For example,

He was expecting visitors.

He was expecting guests.

But, visitors cannot be used to refer to customers at a hotel or invitees at an event.

This museum has visitors from all over the world.

What is the difference between Guest and Visitor?

Meaning:

Guest can refer to

• a person who is invited to visit or stay in someone’s home
• a customer at a hotel, restaurant, etc.
• a person who is invited to an event as a special honour

Visitor refers to a person visiting someone or somewhere, especially socially or as a tourist.

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