concierge

American  

[kon-see-airzh, kawn-syerzh] / ˌkɒn siˈɛərʒ, kɔ̃ˈsjɛrʒ /

noun

• concierges
  plural

1. (especially in France) a person who has charge of the entrance of a building and is often the owner's representative; doorkeeper.

2. a member of a hotel staff in charge of special services for guests, as arranging for theater tickets or tours.

3. an employee stationed in an apartment house lobby who screens visitors, controls operation of elevators, accepts deliveries to the tenants, etc.

4. a janitor.

5. Obsolete. a custodian or warden.

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adjective

1. pertaining to or being medical care for which the patient pays the doctor an annual fee for special or extra services.

   concierge medicine;

   concierge physicians.

concierge British  

/ ˌkɒnsɪˈɛəʒ, kɔ̃sjɛrʒ /

noun

1. (esp in France) a caretaker of a block of flats, hotel, etc, esp one who lives on the premises

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• concierges
  plural

Etymology

Origin of concierge

First recorded in 1640–50; from French; Old French cumserges; further origin uncertain, possibly from Vulgar Latin conservius (unattested) “fellow slave,” from Latin conservus; see con-, serve

Explanation

A concierge works at a hotel helping guests make restaurant reservations, get directions, or anything else they need assistance with. If you were staying at a hotel, the concierge could recommend where to find the best coffee in town. A helpful concierge is one of the perks of a nice hotel; the concierge's job isn't to carry your bags or check you in, but she will help you with almost anything else, including buying tickets and making reservations for you. The root of concierge is the Latin word conservus, or "fellow slave," which makes sense when you think about how hard a concierge works to make hotel guests happy.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

concierge concierges

James MacLeod, concierge at the Glencoe House Hotel, in the Scottish Highlands, is talking about how he has noticed a big shift in visitors' perceptions.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

The U.S. has its own concierge residency program.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

Joshua Davis, a concierge stylist and PS member in Atlanta, appreciates the company’s small touches, like the refrigerator filled with bottled matcha, juices and water waiting just past security.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Among the Robinhood platinum card’s perks: A “white glove concierge service,” which lets customers request by text things like shared private jet flights or tickets to sports and music events.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

The concierge, before she became a concierge, had owned a drink-selling concession at the Paris race-courses.

From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway

This includes restaurant workers like bartenders, wait staff and dishwashers; hospitality workers including concierges and housekeeping staff; as well as tour guides, personal trainers and hairdressers.

From MarketWatch ● May 14, 2026

In St. Martin, even during high season, you can book most places a day or two ahead of time, often by calling the restaurant directly instead of relying on well-connected friends or hotel concierges.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 31, 2026

Whoever proves themself the most competent among the housekeepers, chefs, waitstaff and concierges will be rewarded with “a job opportunity” and a $30,000 bonus.

From Salon ● Apr. 24, 2025

"The traditional service industry uses concierges for high-end clients, meaning that only a few people have access to them," Liu said.

From Science Daily ● May 23, 2024

This meeting was postponed; and, as De la Meuse had assured the Michelin engineer, the concierges and their wives, contrary to custom, were not in their buildings that evening.

From Secret Armies The New Technique of Nazi Warfare by John L. Spivak

Related Words

• attendant
• doorman
• janitor