sommelier

noun

som·​me·​lier ˌsə-məl-ˈyā 

plural sommeliers ˌsə-məl-ˈyā(z) 

: a waiter in a restaurant who has charge of wines and their service : a wine steward

Examples of sommelier in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Each brother has a specialty: the oldest, Josep, is a sommelier; Juan is the head chef; Jordi, the youngest, handles dessert and pastries. —Agnish Ray, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2025

This year the festival is slated to welcome more than 100 guest chefs, winemakers and sommeliers. —Liza B. Zimmerman, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025

The most committed Swedish snus enthusiasts sometimes talk like sommeliers, capable of detecting subtle differences in tobacco quality and flavor. —Carrie Battan, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025

Most importantly, a panel of sommeliers, MWs, winemakers, negociants, and top French wine journalists (all of whom go through a vetting process that includes testing their palate for consistency) blind-tasted the last five vintages of each wine. —Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 9 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, from Middle French soumelier official charged with transportation of supplies, from Old French, pack animal driver, probably alteration of *sommerier, from somier pack animal, from Medieval Latin saugmarius, from Late Latin sagma packsaddle — more at sumpter

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined above

Video

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