Added 9 October 2026
waiter
/ˈweɪ̯təː/ noun
In Latin: minister, administer First recorded: 1834 Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about waiter at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- A person whose occupation is to serve at table (as in a restaurant).
- A person who waits or awaits.
Origin
From late 14th century Middle English waiter, wayter (“attendant, watchman”). By surface analysis, wait + -er. Sense of "servant who waits at tables" is from late 15th century, originally in reference to household servants; in reference to inns, eating houses, etc., it is attested from 1660s. Feminine form waitress first recorded 1834. The London Stock Exchange sense harks back to the early days of trading in coffee-shops.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)