waitress
WAY-trihs
Waitress (noun) means a woman who serves customers at their tables in a restaurant or café. Example: “The waitress brought over our menus and a jug of water.”
noun
1
A woman who serves customers at their tables in a restaurant or café.
"The chefs never cooked before, the cashiers never cashiered before, the dishwashers never dishwashed before, the waitresses never waitressed before, and the managers never managed before."
— Thomas Quealy, M + M (2007)
"It would take a few more beers, but when the liquid courage kicked in, his wobbly legs were unable to keep pace with the fleetfooted waitress, who rolled her eyes, smiling, and finally twirled away."
— Andrew Gensler, Dancing Away the Heartache, Tacos Included (2007)
"The waitress brought over our menus and a jug of water."
"a waitress in a cocktail bar."
How to use waitress
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA female server in a restaurant — increasingly replaced by the gender-neutral term "server" in modern usage.
UK vs US
Many workplaces now prefer "server" over gendered terms like "waiter"/"waitress".
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Word forms
- Plural
- waitresses
- Third person singular
- waitresses
- Past tense
- waitressed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ brought over our menus and a jug of water.
Etymology
Formed from "waiter" plus the feminine suffix "-ess", first recorded in the 1830s.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “waitress” mean?
The word “waitress” means a woman who serves customers at their tables in a restaurant or café. In plain terms, a female server in a restaurant — increasingly replaced by the gender-neutral term "server" in modern usage.
How do you pronounce “waitress”?
“Waitress” is pronounced WAY-trihs (/ˈweɪ.tɹɪs/ in IPA).
How do you use “waitress” in a sentence?
Here is “waitress” used in a sentence: “The waitress brought over our menus and a jug of water.”
What part of speech is “waitress”?
“Waitress” is a noun.
Where does the word “waitress” come from?
The word “waitress” dates back to around 1830. Formed from "waiter" plus the feminine suffix "-ess", first recorded in the 1830s.
Is “waitress” a common word?
“Waitress” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between a waitress and a server?
Waitress specifically refers to a woman who serves customers at their tables in a restaurant, while server is a gender-neutral term used for anyone performing this role. Many restaurants now use "server" in job postings to avoid specifying gender.
Is waitress still commonly used today?
Waitress remains widely understood and used in everyday speech, though gender-neutral terms like server have become more common in professional and workplace settings. The word itself has not become outdated in casual conversation.
What is the difference between a waitress and a waiter?
Waitress refers to a woman serving customers at their tables, while waiter refers to a man performing the same job. Both terms describe the identical role of serving food and drinks in a restaurant or café, differing only in the gender specified.
