attendant

Everyday

1. A person whose job is to look after people or a place, such as a flight attendant, a car park attendant or a pool attendant. tree →
2. (formal, adjective) Coming along with something or caused by it, as in «the attendant risks». tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life children meet attendants at swimming pools, museums, petrol stations and on planes; in safety lessons the attendant is a grown-up helper you can ask. In stories, «attendants» may serve a king or queen. In the formal exam voice «attendant problems» means the problems that come with something.

Examples

• The flight attendant showed us how to fasten our seat belts. tree →
• Ask the pool attendant if you lose your goggles. tree →
• The museum attendant told us not to touch the paintings. tree →
• The car park attendant waved us into a space. tree →
• The queen walked in with her attendants. tree →
• The petrol station attendant filled up the tank. tree →
• Moving house brought all the attendant stress of packing. (formal) tree →
• A toilet attendant kept the washrooms clean. tree →
• The attendants were surprised: they knew of no whelps. tree →

Note

Countable noun: an attendant (with «an»). Flight attendant is the modern word for air hostess or steward. Spelling ends in -ant, not -ent. «Attendance» is a different word: how many people came or whether you were present.