What does doorman mean?
A doorman is a man employed to staff the entrance of a building — most commonly an upscale hotel, apartment house, or private club — where he opens doors, greets and admits visitors, hails taxis, assists with luggage, and keeps a general eye on who comes and goes. The word is a straightforward compound of "door" and "man," and its plural is "doormen." In American usage especially, the presence of a doorman signals affluence: a "doorman building" in cities like New York denotes a residence offering full service and security, and the uniformed doorman has become an enduring icon of urban elegance. In Britain, similar duties may fall to a porter or hall porter. Closely related but distinct figures include the concierge, who handles broader guest services, and the bouncer, whose job is enforcing order rather than extending courtesy. The word is neutral in register and widely understood throughout the English-speaking world.
nounA man employed to stand at the entrance of a building, such as a hotel, apartment house, or nightclub, to open doors, admit residents or guests, summon taxis, and generally watch over the doorway.
- A man employed at the entrance of a building (hotel, apartment block, club) to open doors, greet and admit people, call taxis, and assist arrivals.
"The doorman hailed a cab for the departing guests as the rain began to fall."
"The doorman recognized her instantly and held the revolving door as she hurried in from the cold."
"Living in a building with a doorman costs more, but the added security and package handling are worth it to many city renters."
""Your taxi is waiting, madam," said the doorman, stepping out into the rain with an umbrella."
The plural follows the irregular pattern of "men" compounds (like firemen or postmen).
"Two doormen stood beneath the hotel's brass awning, waiting for the next arriving car."
In 1920s New York, being a doorman at a grand hotel was considered such a prestigious job that men bribed managers for the position — and some wore uniforms with more gold braid than the guests' chauffeurs.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of doorman
The word "doorman" is a transparent English compound formed from "door," which derives from Old English "duru," and "man," from Old English "mann." Compounds of this kind arose naturally as urban life created specialized occupations, and "doorman" became established in the nineteenth century as hotels and apartment buildings employed uniformed attendants at their entrances. It shares its first element with everyday words such as doorway, outdoor, and doorkeeper, all built on the same Germanic root that gives modern English its basic word for a movable entrance barrier.
How doorman is actually used
The term is gender-specific by form, though "doorman" has traditionally been used for men; women in the same role are sometimes called doorwomen or simply described as doormen collectively. The word carries connotations of urban luxury — full-service apartment buildings and upscale hotels — so "a doorman building" implies prestige. In British English, "porter" or "hall porter" is the more traditional equivalent in many contexts. The plural is "doormen."
Easily confused with doorman
A doorkeeper is anyone whose job is to guard or tend a door, often in an institutional or ceremonial sense, while a doorman specifically works at the entrance of a residential or commercial building assisting people coming and going.
A bouncer enforces order and ejects troublemakers at bars and clubs, whereas a doorman's role is courteous assistance and admission at building entrances.