waiter

noun wait·er \ ˈwā-tər \

Definition of waiter

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

See waiter defined for English-language learners

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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 of waiter from the Web

Waiters was a first-grade student at Ready Elementary in Griffith, Superintendent Pete Morikis confirmed.

— Post-Tribune, "6-year-old killed in crash involving Gary school bus; alcohol a factor, police say," 17 Aug. 2017
Tuxedoed waiters glided skillfully between guests and tables to deliver appetizers and drinks.

— Cincinnati.com, "Food fight at ‘The Coach and Six’," 2 Aug. 2017
After one of the waiters pushed Burch away, his arrest affidavit says, Burch pulled out a knife and started swinging.

— charles rabin, miamiherald, "2 workers stabbed in South Beach hotel fight after man tried to touch women," 31 July 2017
Except for a stint as a waiter at the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows Park, Panos has always called Charlotte home and pool halls his business.

— joe marusak, charlotteobserver, "Saying so long to ‘Harry’s’: Growth sinks last cue ball at pool hall in Plaza Midwood," 27 July 2017
The waiter at this Chinese restaurant gave me face masks with the bill and said my boss wanted me to have them.

— avery matera, Teen Vogue, "Chinese Restaurant Gives Customers Sheet Masks After Meals," 18 July 2017
The venture is formal enough that a waiter scoops bone marrow over the cavatappi yet lighthearted enough that English muffins with house-cultured butter aren’t out of place.

— garrett snyder, Los Angeles Magazine, "The Los Angeles Magazine Hot Restaurant List for July 2017," 18 July 2017
Waiters in the cafeteria were recorded on videos raising their hands in a shrug to indicate that the food had run out, while dozens were still awaiting their meal.

— gaia pianigiani, New York Times, "Mafia in Italy Siphons Huge Sums From Migrant Centers," 17 July 2017
Because the federal minimum wage for waiters is only $2.13, and restaurants expect diners to help their servers afford rent.

— lisa fleisher, Bloomberg.com, "This Is How Bad It’s Getting for Wall Street Traders," 14 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'waiter.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of waiter

15th century

waiter Synonyms

Synonyms

garçon, server, waitperson

Related Words

waitress; barkeep (also barkeeper), barman [chiefly British], bartender; sommelier; steward, stewardess; headwaiter, maître d' (or maitre d'), maître d'hôtel

Other Job Terms

factotum, milliner, ostler, scrivener, tinker, webster, wordsmith

WAITER Defined for English Language Learners

waiter

noun

Definition of waiter for English Language Learners

: a man who serves food or drinks to people in a restaurant

WAITER Defined for Kids

waiter

noun wait·er \ ˈwā-tər \

Definition of waiter for Students

:a person who serves food to people at tables

Learn More about waiter

See words that rhyme with waiter Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for waiter Spanish Central: Translation of waiter Nglish: Translation of waiter for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of waiter for Arabic speakers

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Definition of waiter

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Examples of waiter in a Sentence

Recent Examples of waiter from the Web

First Known Use of waiter

waiter Synonyms

Synonyms

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Other Job Terms

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WAITER Defined for English Language Learners

waiter

Definition of waiter for English Language Learners

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