buttons

American

[buht-nz] / ˈbʌt nz /

noun

(used with a singular verb)

a bellboy or page in a hotel.

buttons British

/ ˈbʌtənz /

noun

informal (functioning as singular) a page boy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of buttons

First recorded in 1840–50; so called from the many buttons of his uniform

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Buttons fell off after one wash.The clothes weren’t built to last — and they didn’t.

From Salon • Apr. 25, 2025

At Ocado, a 110g bag of Nomo Creamy Choc Buttons rose from £2.43 to £3.97, a 63% increase.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2025

Before Roman broke character to chat, her Melson had been gossiping about her co-worker, Buttons, noting the latter had been littering.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 12, 2024

Buttons below trigger city sounds, like the screech of a subway.

From Seattle Times • May 10, 2024

"We're just glad that Buttons is going back to the petting zoo where he belongs."

From "Pony Problems: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #3" by Carolyn Keene

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023