waiter

[wey-ter]

noun

1. a person, especially a man, who waits on tables, as in a restaurant.

2. a tray for carrying dishes, a tea service, etc.; salver.

3. a person who waits or awaits.

4. Obsolete.,  an attendant.

verb (used without object)

1. to work or serve as a waiter.

   to waiter in a restaurant.

waiter

/ ˈweɪtə /

noun

1. a man whose occupation is to serve at table, as in a restaurant

2. an attendant at the London Stock Exchange or Lloyd's who carries messages: the modern equivalent of waiters who performed these duties in the 17th-century London coffee houses in which these institutions originated

3. a person who waits

4. a tray or salver on which dishes, etc, are carried

Gender Note

See -person.

Other Word Forms

• waiterless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of waiter¹

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; wait, -er ¹

Example Sentences

The saganaki, set aflame tableside by the waiter, makes for an unforgettable appetizer — and the menu only gets better from there.

From Salon

It’s why Tino indulged every customer, both nasty and agreeable, while working his college summers as a bus boy and waiter at Bella Notte, the family restaurant in Pittsburgh known for its shredded pepperoni pizzas.

From Los Angeles Times

And the waiters know him by name, so when he walks in, they go, “Matt!”

From Los Angeles Times

They categorise jobs into five groups; the lowest two of which are considered working class and include occupations such as mechanic, electrician, shop assistant, labourer, cleaner and waiter.

From BBC

The Jail Café set tables and chairs in “cells” for patrons served by waiters wearing trustee uniforms, presided over by a cashier dressed as a warden.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• server 
• waitperson 
• waitress