waiter

noun

wait·​er ˈwā-tər 

1

: one that waits on another

especially : a person who waits tables (as in a restaurant)

2

: a tray on which something (such as a tea service) is carried : salver

Synonyms

• garçon
• server
• waitperson

Examples of waiter in a Sentence

waiters at that elegant restaurant must go through an extended training program before being allowed to serve customers

Recent Examples on the Web

Men enlisted to be soldiers not orderlies, waiters, or body servants. —Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 29 Mar. 2025

Our waiter is clearly impressed by our order but offers little indication as to whether our choices mirror Tay and Trav’s. —Florence O'Connor, Vogue, 19 Mar. 2025

Oh, what a fascinating career: Brandon Jovanovich, operatic tenor from Billings, Montana, went from a cater waiter at the Metropolitan Opera, to opera superstar on stage, to now a farmer on an active farm in Illinois, about an hour outside of Chicago. —Shivani Vora, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025

Perhaps Dylan’s hamburger waiter mien can be attributed to his lack of connection to something greater than himself. —Samantha Allen, Them, 25 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing waiter

• wine waiter

Rhymes for waiter

• cater
• crater
• frater
• freighter
• gator
• grater
• greater
• hater
• krater
• later
• plater
• prater

Kids Definition

waiter

noun

wait·​er ˈwāt-ər 

: one that waits

especially : a person who waits tables (as in a restaurant)