receptionist

noun

re·​cep·​tion·​ist ri-ˈsep-sh(ə-)nist How to pronounce receptionist (audio)
: a person employed to greet telephone callers, visitors, patients, or clients

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web The ads in the newspaper were for low-paying jobs, like file clerk or telephone solicitor or receptionist. Mary Gaitskill, The New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2023 Osceola portrayed Clementine, the receptionist at the spiritual retreat that Hamm's lead ad executive character Don Draper attended, in the series finale, though Hamm and Osceola were not romantically linked until 2020. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 27 Feb. 2023 When this happens, everyone at the company—from the janitor, to the receptionist, to the CEO—gets shares. Bill Keen, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2023 Ignoring the protesters, the woman entered the clinic’s fenced walkway, passed through two doors of bulletproof glass and placed her ID into a wheel that spun it across the window to the receptionist, who buzzed open another bulletproof door. Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2022 The film featured Field in the role of Mary Tate, the love interest of Bridges' character and receptionist at the gym frequented by the body builder portrayed by Schwarzenegger. Zoey Lyttle, Peoplemag, 24 Feb. 2023 The receptionist transferred his call to Marc Garlasco, an investigator who had previously worked in the Defense Intelligence Agency. C.j. Chivers, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2023 The lobby receptionist in my building has also started to refer to me as the tiny lady who gets dozens of sample packages everyday. Bianca Salonga, Forbes, 5 Feb. 2023 Curry went to the front desk to complain and was told by the receptionist that the employee was an engineer at the hotel. Mirna Alsharif, NBC News, 12 Dec. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'receptionist.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

1901, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of receptionist was in 1901

Dictionary Entries Near receptionist

Cite this Entry

“Receptionist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/receptionist. Accessed 27 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

receptionist

noun
re·​cep·​tion·​ist ri-ˈsep-sh(ə-)nəst How to pronounce receptionist (audio)
: an office employee who greets callers, answers questions, and arranges appointments

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