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 of server

• waiter
• waitress

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

Ask your server for their opinion on the natural wines, or go for a low-key aperitivo. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026

Because files aren’t uploaded to external servers, sensitive documents remain on your machine. —Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026

That gives whoever controls the server the same level of control a company's IT department would have over a work laptop. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 31 Mar. 2026

The team's research has been accepted for publication in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Letters and is available as a preprint on the paper repository server arXiv. —Robert Lea, Space.com, 30 Mar. 2026

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

Rhymes for server

• fervor
• fervour
• observer
• preserver

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