server

noun

serv·​er ˈsər-vər 

1

: one that serves food or drink

2

: the player who serves (as in tennis)

3

: something used in serving food or drink

4

: one that serves legal processes upon another

5

: the celebrant's assistant at mass

6

: a computer in a network that is used to provide services (such as access to files or shared peripherals or the routing of email) to other computers in the network

Synonyms

• garçon
• waiter
• waitperson

Examples of server in a Sentence

She asked our server for another glass of wine.

we had barely finished ordering when the server brought our salads

Recent Examples on the Web

Equally memorable was our server, Chareez, whose warmth could fill a room. —Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2025

Because of the size and complexity of each language, most digital translators use a data connection to access servers that contain the information required to complete their translation. —Séamus Bellamy, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 2025

Nvidia jumped more than 5% after server maker Super Micro Computer announced full production availability of its artificial intelligence data center with Nvidia’s Blackwell platform. —Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 5 Feb. 2025

Diners frequently praise the restaurant’s pink and gold décor, the servers’ colorful aprons, the greenery around the restaurant, the fire pit and the cozy blankets provided to diners at its outdoor tables. —Pamela Kragen, The Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English server, servere, from serven "to serve entry 1" + -er, -ere -er entry 2

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing server

• ad server
• altar server
• blade server

Kids Definition

server

noun

serv·​er ˈsər-vər 

1

: a person who serves food or drink

2

: the player who puts a ball in play

3

: something (as a tray) used in serving food or drink

4

: a computer in a network that is used to provide services (as access to files or the delivery of email) to other computers