Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Hostage

Hostage , noun

[Old English hostage, Old French hostage, ostage, French ôtage, Late Latin hostaticus, ostaticum, for hospitaticum, from Latin hospes guest, host. The first meaning is, the state of a guest, hospitality; hence, the state of a hostage (treated as a guest); and both these meanings occur in Old French. See Host a landlord.]

A person given as a pledge or security for the performance of the conditions of a treaty or stipulations of any kind, on the performance of which the person is to be released.
Your hostages I have, so have you mine; And we shall talk before we fight. — Shakespeare
He that hath a wife and children hath given hostages to fortune. — Bacon