The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
maitre d'hotel \mai`tre d'ho*tel"\, maitre d'hotel \ma[^i]`tre d'h[^o]*tel`\(m[=a]"t[~e]r d[=o]*t[e^]l" or m[=a]"tr[u^] d[=o]*t[e^]l"); pl. maitres d'hotel. n. 1. A headwaiter. Syn: captain, head waiter. [WordNet 1.5] 2. The manager or owner of a hotel. [PJC]