Spelling of Receptionist: Receptionist is spelled r-e-c-e-p-t-i-o-n-i-s-t.
Definition of Reception: A receptionist is an employee who greets visitors, patients, and clients as they enter the a building or office. They also take incoming phone calls to the building.
A receptionist works in the reception department and typically sits at a desk in the front of the building in the reception area. However, as technology advances, many companies are moving away from hiring a person to work as a receptionist and are installing automated phone and computer systems.
Pronunciation of Receptionist: Receptionist is pronounced ree-sep-shun-ist.
How to Use Receptionist in a Sentence
What does receptionist mean? Receptionist is a noun. A receptionist is a person employed to answer the phone and greet visitors, patients, and/or clients, typically in an office setting.
Sometimes, receptionists engage in other administrative tasks, having similar duties to an office manager.
For example,
- I started working as a receptionist at the local police department and worked my way up and now I am the communications coordinator.
- The receptionist at the dentist’s office greeted us and, ironically, offered us some candy from the dish she keeps on her desk.
History & Etymology of Receptionist
According to Merriam-Webster’s, the word receptionist was first used in 1901.
The word was formed by adding the suffix “-ist” to reception. Reception comes from the Middle English word recepcion from either Anglo-French, reception, or Latin reception-, receptio from the verb receptio.
Reception is the act or an instance of receiving, as a receptionist receives or greets visitors and customers. A reception may also refer to a social gathering, typically for the purpose of formally welcoming or greeting guests.
Synonyms for Receptionist
Since the word receptionist is the name of a specific job, there are very few synonyms. In the following list, the first word, secretary, is the word that is most synonymous with receptionist.
- Secretary
- Clerk
- Counter person
- Assistant
- Administrative assistant
Outside Examples of Receptionist
- Many businesses have adopted such systems, which does not bode well for human receptionists. – USA Today
- Maxie Foster spent years as a receptionist before paying her way through beauty school to earn an esthetician license and start a career where she could earn more money and better support her daughter. – Houston Chronicle
Summary
The word receptionist is a noun; it is a job title. A receptionist is the employee who sits at the front desk and answers the telephone and greets guests, clients, and/or patients.
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