attendant

1 of 2

noun

at·​ten·​dant ə-ˈten-dənt How to pronounce attendant (audio)
1
: one who attends another to perform a service
the bride and her attendants
especially : an employee who waits on customers
a gas-station attendant
2
: something that accompanies : concomitant
the sword, ring, armor, and other attendants of knighthood
3
: attendee
attendants at the festival

attendant

2 of 2

adjective

1
: accompanying, waiting upon, or following in order to perform service
Cherub and Seraph … attendant on their LordJohn Milton
2
: accompanying or following as a consequence or result
problems attendant on pollution
civilization and its attendant moralityRobert Stone

Examples of attendant in a Sentence

Noun She let the parking attendant park her car. let the hotel attendant help them with their bags Adjective The town is trying to deal with the population boom and the attendant increase in traffic. dreaded the coming flu season and the attendant flood of school absences
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Jachino said the Elk Grove Food Bank could use parking attendants to help direct traffic in their lot, but there are dwindling supplies for volunteers to sort. Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 29 Oct. 2025 The players — as well as clubhouse attendants — were passing out Xanax and Percocet, according to her Monday testimony. Sean Emery, Oc Register, 28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Such are the attendant challenges of the fall calendar, when the only sportscaster whose schedule makes Mike Tirico look like an agoraphobe yo-yos his way across the map and on to the next NHL, NFL or MLB game. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 30 Oct. 2025 That makes dirty bulking—and its attendant buildup of fat—a less attractive option. Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for attendant

Word History

Etymology

Noun

see attend

Adjective

see attend

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of attendant was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Attendant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attendant. Accessed 2 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

attendant

1 of 2 adjective
at·​ten·​dant ə-ˈten-dənt How to pronounce attendant (audio)
: accompanying or following as a result

attendant

2 of 2 noun
1
: one who goes with or serves another
a bride and her attendants
2
: an employee who waits on customers
a gas station attendant

Medical Definition

attendant

noun
at·​ten·​dant ə-ˈten-dənt How to pronounce attendant (audio)
: a person who attends another to perform a service
ward attendants

More from Merriam-Webster on attendant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!