appointment
/əˈpɔɪnt.mənt/ IELTSAcademic
noun
- 1.
A planned meeting at a specific time and place, especially with a doctor, dentist, or official. It is usually arranged in advance.
- I have a dentist appointment at 4 p.m.
- Please arrive ten minutes before your appointment.
- 2.
The act of choosing someone for a job or position. This meaning is common in formal or written English.
- Her appointment as manager was announced yesterday.
- The appointment of a new judge took place in June.
Adinary Nuance
Appointment is more specific than meeting. Use it when the time is fixed in advance, often for a service or official visit. Engagement can also mean a planned meeting, but it is less common in everyday speech and can sound more formal. For a job, appointment means someone is chosen for a role, not just called to a meeting.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- cuộc hẹn
- Spanish
- cita
- Chinese
- 预约
- Japanese
- 予約
- Korean
- 약속
Etymology
From Old French appointment, from the verb appointer meaning 'to arrange'. It entered English in the late Middle Ages.
Common phrases
make an appointmentdoctor's appointmentappointment timeappointment letter
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is appointment the same as meeting?
- Not exactly. An appointment is a meeting arranged for a fixed time, often in advance.
- Can I say I have an appointment with my teacher?
- Yes, if you arranged a specific time to meet your teacher.
- What is an appointment letter?
- It is a letter saying you have been chosen for a job or role.
- Is appointment formal or informal?
- It is neutral. It is common in daily life and in formal writing.