attendant

The word “attendant” means a person whose job is to help or serve people in a particular place, such as a parking lot or flight. In plain terms, as a noun, someone employed to serve or assist; as an adjective, something that naturally comes along with something else.

“Attendant” is pronounced uh-TEHN-duhnt (/əˈtɛndənt/ in IPA).

Here is “attendant” used in a sentence: “The flight attendant offered us drinks before takeoff.”

Words with a similar meaning to “attendant” include assistant.

Depending on how it is used, “attendant” can be a noun and an adjective.

The word “attendant” comes from Old French. From Old French attendant, from the verb attendre — literally "one who attends.".

“Attendant” is an uncommon word in modern English.

“Attendant” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person whose job is to help or serve people in a particular place, such as a parking lot or flight.

Both describe someone who helps or serves others, but "attendant" specifically implies a role tied to a particular place or service, such as a parking attendant or flight attendant. "Assistant" is broader and can refer to any helper, including in offices or personal roles, without that place-based association.

As an adjective, "attendant" describes something that accompanies or results from another situation, often problems that come along with it, as in "the attendant risks of the decision." This use is common in formal writing to introduce related consequences.

Common attendant roles include parking attendants, flight attendants, and event or venue attendants, all of whom help or serve people in a specific location. The word emphasizes a service role tied to a physical setting.