garçon

noun

gar·​çon gär-ˈsōⁿ 

plural garçons gär-ˈsōⁿ(z) 

: a male waiter (as in a French restaurant)

"Here, garçon, bring us two halves of malt whisky, like a good fellow …."

—James Joyce

A world-renowned sommelier pilots you through the wine list as a brigade of gracious garçons fills your glasses.

—Anya Von Bremzen

Synonyms

• server
• waiter
• waitperson

Example Sentences

“Garçon, bring another bottle of wine,” barked the haughty diner

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, "boy, servant" (in sense "waiter" originally short for garçon de café, garçon de restaurant, etc.), going back to Old French garz, garçun "servant of low status, boy," going back to Old Low Franconian *wrakkjo, *wrakkjon-, going back to Germanic *wrakjan- "someone pursued, exile" — more at wretch

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined above