waiter

noun

wait·​er ˈwā-tər How to pronounce waiter (audio)
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

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 on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The finished products by the one-time waiter at a Steak and Ale restaurant were more than passable, nearly as pretty as the cones prepared by the owner of Wally's Burger Express on Mesa Drive in Northwest Austin. John C. Moritz, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025 His view was echoed by Joseph Mitchell, a waiter at the Alamo Drafthouse, in Littleton. Eyal Press, New Yorker, 28 July 2025 The waiters all knew her favorite, fish Florentine, and for dessert, pistachio ice cream. Darcey Steinke, Vogue, 27 July 2025 The Grammy nominee first exchanged vows with model and waiter Ojani Noa, to whom she was married from early 1997 to June 1998. Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 17 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for waiter

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of waiter was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Waiter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/waiter. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

waiter

noun
wait·​er ˈwāt-ər How to pronounce waiter (audio)
: one that waits
especially : a person who waits tables (as in a restaurant)

More from Merriam-Webster on waiter

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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