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

Criminal infrastructure runs on commandeered systems, including hospital servers, university networks, and small business routers. — Jill Goldenziel, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026

The hundreds of thousands of AI servers that fill the cavernous halls of data centers from Virginia to Germany are a testament to the deep interdependence of the industry. — John Liu, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026

My servers, Simon Yun and Michael Richards, skillfully handled busy dining rooms from the first seating on a Friday evening to the last seating on a Tuesday night. — Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026

In Portugal, the SIN01 AI data center in Sines uses seawater from the Atlantic to cool its servers before returning it to the ocean. — Nir Kshetri, The Conversation, 17 Aug. 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