What does appointment mean?
Appointment is a noun with two principal meanings: an agreed time and place for meeting someone — such as a visit to a doctor or a business meeting — and the formal designation of a person to a job, office, or role. In its everyday sense it belongs to the vocabulary of schedules and diaries, where phrases like 'make an appointment', 'keep an appointment', and 'cancel an appointment' are firmly established. In its official sense it appears constantly in news reporting, where appointments to boards, courts, cabinets, and senior posts are announced and discussed. The word carries a neutral, practical tone, though a prestigious appointment can carry connotations of honour and recognition. Derived from the verb 'appoint', via Old French from Latin, it shares roots with words like 'point' and 'disappoint'. Its flexibility across personal, professional, and institutional contexts makes it one of the most useful nouns in modern English.
nounAn arrangement to meet someone at a particular time and place; also, a position or office to which someone is appointed.
- An arranged meeting at a set time and place (e.g. with a doctor, dentist, or business contact).
- A position, job, or office to which a person is formally appointed.
- An act of appointing or the equipment/furnishings of a place or vehicle (less common).
"She cancelled her dental appointment at the last minute."
"I have a doctor's appointment at three o'clock this afternoon."
"Her appointment as chief executive was announced on Monday."
Standard plural; often used when referring to multiple scheduled meetings or several posts filled.
"The clinic has doubled the number of appointments available each week."
The word 'appointment' once carried the weight of power — in the 17th century, being 'appointed' to an office by the Crown could change your life overnight, no interview required.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of appointment
Appointment derives from the verb 'appoint', which entered English from Old French 'apointier' ('to arrange, fix'), ultimately rooted in Latin verbs meaning 'to put, place'. By the late medieval period it denoted both arranging a meeting and designating someone to a post. Cognates sharing this lineage include 'appoint', 'appointee', and related forms built on the same Old French stem.
Related word forms
How appointment is actually used
Neutral register, used freely in both formal and everyday contexts. In British English, 'appointment' commonly refers to scheduled meetings with professionals; the sense of formal assignment to a post is frequent in news and official language.