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

Since launching its first-ever central processing unit (CPU) in early 2023, Nvidia has always sold them alongside its bread-and-butter graphics processing units (GPUs) in server racks. —Zev Fima, CNBC, 17 Mar. 2026

By July 2025, according to the company, all location history data previously stored on Google servers had been deleted or moved to device storage only. —CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026

Most servers currently earn well over the minimum wage — more than double in many cases — after tips. —The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026

Huang then mentioned that GPUs in space could excel at certain tasks, such as high-resolution satellite imaging; rather than relying on servers on Earth to process the imagery, a GPU on board a satellite could do so much faster. —Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 16 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