maître d'
noun
maî·tre d'
ˌmā-trə-ˈdē 
ˌme-,
-tər-
variants
or maitre d'
plural maître d's or maitre d's
ˌmā-trə-ˈdēz
ˌme-,
-tər-
Did you know?
Maître d' is short for maître d'hôtel, which comes from French and literally means "master of the house." Maître d'hôtel was used in English for a head butler or steward of a household before it referred to the head of a dining-room staff. For the record, the plural of maître d'hôtel is maîtres d'hôtel whereas the plural of maître d' is maître d's.
Cite this Entry
“Maître d'.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ma%C3%AEtre%20d%27. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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