concierge

American  

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

noun

plural

concierges

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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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; 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

Microsoft yesterday unveiled Copilot Health, a tool it describes as an AI concierge doctor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

The next year, he opened Attia Medical, a concierge preventive medicine practice; in 2016, he rebranded to Early Medical, a name that emphasizes the practice’s focus on maintaining healthspan and increasing lifespan.

From Slate • Feb. 26, 2026

A professional musician before the war, she now works as a concierge in one of the Wonder City buildings.

From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026

We exchanged surprised smiles as she approached, hugged me, and said, “I missed you. The concierge recommended O’Groats. I’m ready to explore L.A.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2026

“They don’t have a concierge at the Coachlight Inn.”

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

Related Words

• attendant
• doorman
• janitor