Now I hope I can add further clarification without sounding too persnickety. The word "host" in itself doesn't mean anything but a flat piece of bread. Even unconsecrated, we call them "hosts."(E.g. Fr. Raymond got a package of Mass suppies at the mission station via USPS, but unfortunately the box was damaged and a bunch of hosts spilled out. The ones that got dirty he put in the disposal.")
In other words,"host" is just a synonym for such words as "wafer,""cracker," "matzo" or unleavened bread.
However, here's what we think when the various words are used:
Host: "Ah, here's a good non-Catholic who knows a bit about terminology." (Accurate and neutral, i.e. does not imply belief.) :o)
Wafer: "Good soul, means well, but probably gets her religious information from People magazine.":o|
Cracker: "Bad news. An unpleasant person who actually doesn't know jack-chick about Catholicism.":o(
Matzo: "Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu!! A Hebrew-Catholic!!":oD
After it's consecrated, it can be called a "consecrated host" (still accurate and still theologically neutral). We Catholic believers would also say "the Lord's Body" or "the Body of Christ".
The definition of the word “host” seems to me to imply that it becomes a host FOR something. Since I don’t concede that theological point I don’t like using that term. Since I don’t think anyone has a problem with me referring to the wine as “wine”, I don’t think that calling it a “wafer” is disrespectful either.
“Cracker” means someone is being deliberately offensive since I can tell from looking that the item in question isn’t actually a cracker. I might as well call it a pretzel.