confirmation
kon-fer-MAY-shun
/ˌkɒnfərˈmeɪʃən/
Official proof or verification that a reservation or booking has been successfully recorded.
Usually tied to a code, email, or automated text message issued by the venue to guarantee table holding.
The story behind the word. From Latin confirmare, combining com- (intensive prefix) with firmare (to make firm, from firmus). Originally used for making legal covenants binding. In hospitality, it signifies locking in a reservation.
Word relationships
- verification: 'Verification' implies checking correctness, while 'confirmation' serves as official proof of booking.
- cancellation: A cancellation nullifies proof of a booking rather than solidifying it.
Commonly confused with
- inquiry: An inquiry asks if space exists, whereas a confirmation proves space is locked in.
Word family
- confirm (verb): To establish or make certain.
- confirmed (adjective): Verified or made firm.
Collocations
- confirmation number
- confirmation email
- send a confirmation
- receive confirmation
Idioms & expressions
- black and white
Example sentences
- "Please show your confirmation code to the host upon arrival to claim your table." Digital check-in
Memory hook
CONFIRMATION makes your reservation FIRM as stone. Makes your booking firm.
When not to use
Do not use to mean casual greeting or informal conversation.
Fun facts
- Automated SMS confirmation prompts reduced global restaurant no-show rates by over 30%.
Related words
Explore more words
reservation, receipt, proof of purchase, verify, certification, verification
Also appears in
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