receptionist
Americannoun
-
receptionists
plural
-
a person employed to receive and assist callers, clients, etc., as in an office.
-
Theology. a person who advocates receptionism.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of receptionist
Explanation
If you work as a receptionist in an office, you'll greet visitors and answer the phone. The receptionist in a dentist's office is usually the person to schedule your next appointment. Most offices have a receptionist, a type of secretary who's typically the first person you see when you walk into the room. Hotels often describe this person as a "desk clerk," but this is essentially a receptionist who books reservations and hands you your room key when you check in. The word receptionist dates from about 1900, when the earliest receptionists were hired to work in photography studios.
Vocabulary lists containing receptionist
Seedfolks
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Unit 4, Words to Know
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ist
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
A man tricking a hospital receptionist is not exactly a criminal mastermind.
From Salon ● Oct. 15, 2026
According to the AP, a former receptionist at the Hôtel de Pourtalès, where the fashion mogul was staying when she was robbed, was awarded the equivalent of $126,472 in the civil damages ruling.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026
I told the receptionist at the front desk where I was going, and she said she felt guilty that she couldn’t be there herself, because of her evening shift.
From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2026
“My heart dropped in my stomach,” says Allyson, a medical receptionist.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026
Finally, a receptionist at Subservient said she knew that Mr. Poe worked down the street, at Mulctuary Money Management.
From "The Bad Beginning" by Lemony Snicket
Dr Hayley Harris, clinical director for NHS Lothian's unscheduled care services, said that the Edinburgh walk-in centre will have one GP, one advanced practice nurse, one physio, two receptionists and one link worker.
From BBC ● Feb. 24, 2026
She posed as a courier, telling the receptionists that the script was requested by an executive.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 17, 2025
Though hammam associations have yet to publish statistics on layoffs or lost revenue, they have warned about the effect on owners, chimney technicians and receptionists.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 6, 2024
There will be smarter cars, bipedal warehouse androids, roving grocery bots removing unscanned items from bagging areas, and torso-up AI designed to look like seated female receptionists.
From Salon ● Mar. 5, 2024
He remembered that he had to change shoes and retreated to a comer of the lobby, out of sight of receptionists and guards, to sit on the floor and pull on Eric’s brown Oxfords.
From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
