stewardess
Americannoun
-
stewardesses
plural
-
a woman flight attendant.
-
a woman who attends to the comfort of passengers on a ship, train, or bus.
noun
Gender
See -ess.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of stewardess
1625–35 for earlier sense “female steward”; 1930–35 stewardess for def. 1; steward + -ess
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:
Roan appeared from the back of stage, revealing her leather, periwinkle stewardess outfit and red mod bob — an apparent nod to Luc Besson’s 1997 film “The Fifth Element.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
Corinne Conley, now 96, co-starred as stewardess Janet, who helped Spencer land the aircraft.
From BBC ● Apr. 3, 2026
On an airplane, recently, she noticed that when the stewardess came around offering coffee and tea, a surprising number of adults opted for hot chocolate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 4, 2025
In 1958, when Mary Pat Laffey Inman became a stewardess — as they were then called — for Northwest Airlines, she was 20 years old and the clock was already ticking.
From New York Times ● Feb. 19, 2024
That’s where I’d want to go if I were a stewardess.
From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago
“Catch Me If You Can” leans hard into ’60s chic, with an ensemble of Pan Am airline stewardesses and a variety-show orchestra on stage.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 22, 2019
"But it was feared that if one of the stewardesses didn't stay aboard, he may not let the passengers off in Denver."
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2019
But there are also stewardesses, a donut-shop clerk, a massage therapist and an amateur tennis player.
From Washington Post ● May 23, 2016
There were airline pilots and stewardesses, young female shoppers, baseball-playing kids, courting teens, a homemaker, a snow-shoveler.
From Slate ● May 18, 2015
The stewardesses brought us small trays fitted with square plates filled with sauce over chicken, mushy rice, and boiled string beans.
From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago
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