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 of waiter

• waitress
• server

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

Some fans traveled from other states, while others paid hundreds of dollars to have line-waiters save spots for them. —Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 18 June 2026

My regular waiter, Ryan, always had a glass of orange juice waiting for me at breakfast; my cabin attendant Sabrine kept my fridge stocked with sparkling water; and bartender Dennis always had my cocktail ready to go for me following dinner. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 June 2026

It’s called the Zeigarnik effect, first studied by the Soviet psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik in 1927, after her professor observed that waiters remembered the details of unpaid orders but forgot orders whose bills had been settled. —Patricia Marx, New Yorker, 15 June 2026

Dedicated waiter, sommelier and bartender all included. —Lela London, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026

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)