maître d'
American-
maître d's
plural
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a headwaiter.
-
a steward or butler.
-
the owner or manager of a hotel.
Etymology
Origin of maître d'
First recorded in 1815–25; shortening of maître d'hôtel
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.
In the A.I. age, Maggie Hennessy asserts, sparring with a grouchy maître d’ over the phone is part of what makes dining out great.
From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2026
Flanked by tuxedoed servers and the maître d’, she announced the founder’s death, mostly silencing the crowded dining room.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2025
"I don't really see him as Fred Sirieix the maître d', I don't see him as anything other than my dad."
From BBC ● Feb. 14, 2024
He knows seemingly every staff member, from the maître d’ to the waiters.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 12, 2023
With a flourish, the maître d’ held back an armful of foliage so that Penelope could enter the leafy, secluded room.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
