commissionaire

[ kuh-mish-uh-nair ]
See synonyms for commissionaire on Thesaurus.com
nounBritish.
  1. a uniformed attendant, as a doorkeeper or usher.

Origin of commissionaire

1
1755–65; <French commissionnaire;see commission, -aire

Words Nearby commissionaire

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use commissionaire in a sentence

  • I passed through the Rue d'Antin without even coming across a commissionaire.

    Camille (La Dame aux Camilias) | Alexandre Dumas, fils
  • That Kitty had reproached me for my lack of trust in her about my commissionaire's post was also easily to be accounted for.

  • I know that; so I turns and runs off for a policeman, or one of those commissionaire chaps.

  • She acknowledged mechanically the low bow of the commissionaire who opened the door for her.

    Mr. Grex of Monte Carlo | E. Phillips Oppenheim
  • He watched the vehicle roll away, and then scowled at the commissionaire, who waited expectantly for a tip.

    In Friendship's Guise | Wm. Murray Graydon

British Dictionary definitions for commissionaire

commissionaire

/ (kəˌmɪʃəˈnɛə) /


noun
  1. mainly British a uniformed doorman at a hotel, theatre, etc

Origin of commissionaire

1
C18: from French, from commission

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