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; 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

Uber wants users to consider the app their personal travel concierge.

From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026

Upper West Side concierge Ardist Brown said the fight was about being able to afford New York life in the face of rising costs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

The stakes are lower with something like an agentic concierge — you might have to pay a fee if you miss a scheduled restaurant reservation, for example.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 19, 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

I saw the concierge standing in the doorway.

From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway

Related Words

• attendant
• doorman
• janitor