dumbwaiter

noun

dumb·​wait·​er ˈdəm-ˌwā-tər How to pronounce dumbwaiter (audio)
ˌdəm-ˈwā-
1
: a portable serving table or stand
2
: a small elevator used for conveying food and dishes from one story of a building to another

Examples of dumbwaiter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web An outdoor cinema screen brings a cozy evening vibe, while a dumbwaiter directly connected to the galley makes services convenient. Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 5 Jan. 2024 Altogether, the 7,000-square-foot property comprises six bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths, a gourmet chef’s kitchen with a dumbwaiter, a formal dining room, and a wine cellar. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 12 Oct. 2023 Glitzy amenities include a 400-bottle wine cellar and dumbwaiter that stops on every level, plus a roof deck sporting a kitchen and barbecue setup, fire-pit, and glass railings that allow for sweeping views stretching the Malibu coastline to the Santa Monica Mountains. Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 10 Oct. 2023 The food was homemade, cakes and pies on the third floor, Salisbury steak dinners on the second, all lowered by dumbwaiter to a round floor packed with diners. Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 5 Aug. 2023 An adjacent scullery has been restored to its original glory, and features a walk-in Master-Bilt refrigerator, a freezer chest, and a dumbwaiter, and opens to a large, service dining room built to service an estate. Curbed, 23 May 2023 As for the dumbwaiter, that was created on set. Rachel Silva, ELLE Decor, 3 Nov. 2022 What exactly is a dumbwaiter? Hadley Keller, House Beautiful, 18 Oct. 2022 Fitzgerald’s wife, Zelda, had been given a diagnosis of schizophrenia, and was periodically checked in and out of Highland Hospital in Asheville; in 1948, she was trapped on the top floor of the hospital when a kitchen fire spread through a dumbwaiter shaft, killing her and eight other women. Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 30 May 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dumbwaiter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1737, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dumbwaiter was in 1737

Dictionary Entries Near dumbwaiter

Cite this Entry

“Dumbwaiter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dumbwaiter. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dumbwaiter

noun
dumb·​wait·​er ˈdəm-ˈwāt-ər How to pronounce dumbwaiter (audio)
: a small elevator for carrying food or goods from one story to another
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!