receptionist

noun

: a person employed to greet telephone callers, visitors, patients, or clients

Examples of receptionist in a Sentence

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.
The outpatient receptionist calls my name at the front desk for the day’s intake. — Ivy Wolk, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2026 Later in life, McGuire volunteered as a receptionist and advocate at the Coalition for Economic Survival legal clinic in Los Angeles to offer support for low-income tenants facing eviction. — Mya Copeland, Variety, 18 Oct. 2026 O’Hara is most famous for his collection Lunch Poems, written in his lunch break as a receptionist from the Museum of Modern Art—proving even future curators/art critics must begin at the front desk. — Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026 This is the second British hotel by the brand behind the Orient Express, and although traces of those trains can be found in the doorman’s redcoats and the receptionist’s bow tie, this is not the sort of place that requires a gown for dinner. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for receptionist

Word History

First Known Use

1901, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of receptionist was in 1901

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Receptionist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/receptionist. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Kids Definition

receptionist

noun
: an office employee who greets callers, answers questions, and arranges appointments
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster