Definition

A person in a uniform who assists or serves others, often found in places like hotels or theaters.

Example

The commissionaire greeted the guests at the entrance of the hotel.

Conversation

Have you ever seen a commissionaire at a fancy hotel?

Yeah, they always look so sharp in their uniforms!

I think it's a cool job, greeting guests like that.

Definitely! It must be interesting meeting so many different people.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Commissionaire → It is formed from "commission" (from Old French *commission*, meaning a formal assignment or task) and "-aire" (a suffix used in French to denote a person associated with a specific action or role). The word "commissionaire" refers to a person who is assigned a specific task or duty, often in a commercial context.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'commission' as a formal task and '-aire' as someone who is associated with that task — a commissionaire is someone who carries out a specific assignment.

Visually Confused Words