waiter

Meanings

Noun

• A male or female attendant who serves customers at their tables in a restaurant, café or similar.
• Someone who waits for somebody or something; a person who is waiting.
• A person working as an attendant at the London Stock Exchange.
• A vessel or tray on which something is carried, as dishes, etc.; a salver. (See etymology of dumbwaiter.)
• A custom house officer; a tide waiter.
• A watchman.

Verb

• To work as a waiter.

Origin

• Late 14th century, "attendant, watchman," agent noun from the verb 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.