receptionistn.adj.
/rᵻˈsɛpʃn̩ɪst/, /rᵻˈsɛpʃənɪst/, U.S. /rəˈsɛpʃənəst/, /riˈsɛpʃənəst/ A. n.
1. Theology. A believer in the doctrine of receptionism.
ΚΠ
1867 G. F. Cobb Kiss of Peace i. i. 4 We must.., purely for the sake of reference, give this opinion a name. Let us call it the ‘Theory of Reception’, and its professors ‘Receptionists’.
1915 S. A. McDowall Evol. & Spiritual Life ii. viii. 245 A most sane and reverent, and at the same time philosophically tenable, exposition of the position of a Receptionist who sees in all life a sacrament.
2003 J. Pinnington Anglicans & Orthodox iv. 132 One would expect him [sc. John Covel] to be a receptionist.., but he did seem to make an effort to persuade the Greeks that on the basis of their Liturgy they should be virtualists.
2. A person employed by a hotel, office, hospital, etc., to receive and register guests, clients, or patients.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > worker > workers according to type of work > non-manual worker > [noun] > receptionist
receptionist1870
1870 Q. Rev. July 66 His only object was to see Lothair, and he..had a long talk with him in a back room, while the crowd of receptionists actually stood aloof, and did not throng round them to stare at a live Lord and a real Cardinal.
1901 Girl's Own Paper 12 Jan. 234/1 She answered an advertisement of a Kensington photographer who needed a ‘receptionist’ and saleswoman—shop-woman in fact.
1956 Times 21 Jan. 7/5 The secretary..could, in her employer's absence, conduct responsible interviews on his behalf, as opposed to receptionist duties.
1993 R. Jenkins Chief (Anglia TV shooting script) (O.E.D. Archive) 4th Ser. Episode 3. 30 Look—I'm a part-time receptionist in a clinic. I do the lunch shift.
2007 C. F. Needham Falling from Heights 64 ‘What's that you're reading?’ asked the tiny Asian receptionist from behind her big Mexican pine desk.
B. adj.
Theology. Of or relating to the doctrine of receptionism.
ΚΠ
1870 Times 25 July 11/2 Nor do I say what is called the receptionist doctrine is inadmissible.
1937 New Eng. Q. 10 321 Calvin taught a receptionist belief—that though the body of Christ is in Heaven, there is the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
1976 M. Moreton Consecrating Remembering Offering ii. 16 Whatever may be said in support of a receptionist view of consecration, it is clearly at variance with that concept of consecration which is embodied in the rites of catholic Christendom.
1996 T. A. Campbell Christian Confessions iii. 182 It has been historically interpreted as being consistent with the Virtualist or Receptionist understanding of the Eucharist.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2009; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.adj.1867