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• butler
  butler

  noun

  the chief male servant of a household, usually in charge of serving food, the care of silverware, etc.
• Butler
  Butler

  noun

  Benjamin Franklin, 1818–93, U.S. politician and a Union general in the Civil War.

butler

¹ American  

[buht-ler] / ˈbʌt lər /

noun

• butlers
  plural

1. the chief male servant of a household, usually in charge of serving food, the care of silverware, etc.

2. a male servant having charge of the wines and liquors.

3. a tray or other receptacle used to serve drinks or food.

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verb (used with object)

1. to serve (drinks, hors d’oeuvres, etc.) by walking around among guests.

   Our waitstaff will butler cocktails on silver trays. The butlered appetizers are all gluten-free.

Butler ² American  

[buht-ler] / ˈbʌt lər /

noun

1. Benjamin Franklin, 1818–93, U.S. politician and a Union general in the Civil War.

2. Joseph, 1692–1752, English bishop, theologian, and author.

3. Nicholas Murray, 1862–1947, U.S. educator: president of Columbia University 1902–45; Nobel Peace Prize 1931.

4. Pierce, 1866–1939, U.S. jurist: associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court 1923–39.

5. Samuel, 1612–80, English poet.

6. Samuel, 1835–1902, English novelist, essayist, and satirist.

7. Smedley Darlington 1881–1940, U.S. Marine Corps general.

8. a city in W Pennsylvania.

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Butler ¹ British  

/ ˈbʌtlə /

noun

1. Joseph . 1692–1752, English bishop and theologian, author of Analogy of Religion (1736)

2. Josephine ( Elizabeth ). 1828–1906, British social reformer, noted esp for her campaigns against state regulation of prostitution

3. Reg , full name Reginald Cotterell Butler . 1913–81, British metal sculptor; his works include The Unknown Political Prisoner (1953)

4. R ( ichard ) A ( usten ), Baron Butler of Saffron Walden, known as Rab Butler . 1902–82, British Conservative politician: Chancellor of the Exchequer (1951–55); Home Secretary (1957–62); Foreign Secretary (1963–64)

5. Samuel . 1612–80, English poet and satirist; author of Hudibras (1663–78)

6. Samuel . 1835–1902, British novelist, noted for his satirical work Erewhon (1872) and his autobiographical novel The Way of All Flesh (1903)

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butler ² British  

/ ˈbʌtlə /

noun

1. the male servant of a household in charge of the wines, table, etc: usually the head servant

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• butlership
  noun
• underbutler
  noun
• butlerlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• butlers
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of butler

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English buteler, from Anglo-French butuiller, Old French bouteillier, from Medieval Latin butticulārius, derivative of butticula ; see bottle ¹, -er ², -ier ²

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

butler Butler butlers

La Réserve private homes Opening in October on Praslin island, La Réserve Seychelles features six secluded villas, each with a pool, tropical garden, beach access and butler services.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

Curry was also known for his work as the evil clown Pennywise in the miniseries adaptation of Stephen King’s “It,” butler Wadsworth in “Clue” and the Lord of Darkness in “Legend.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

"We arrange everything for them: flowers, candles, photographer, dinner with a private butler," said Melanie Tessier, its guest relations manager.

From Barron's ● Feb. 12, 2026

Regent Seven Seas Cruises is launching a ship in December that offers a two-story suite with a private massage room, a bar facing the ocean and a butler to unpack suitcases or deliver caviar.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 18, 2026

By midnight Lancelot and the butler were sitting on opposite sides of the table, both looking red in the face.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

“There was no asking what his name was, no ID, nothing,” Butler said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026

Mr. Butler is the deputy editor of WSJ Opinion’s Free Expression newsletter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

Isaac Butler makes the case that the film holds a mirror up to its audience by focusing on the nature of performance and artifice.

From Slate ● Oct. 29, 2026

He now sits in the Butler County Jail on an ICE hold.

From Salon ● Oct. 29, 2026

Principal Butler picked up the phone and began to dial Adam’s parents.

From "Hopping Mad (The Hardy Boys: Secret Files, #4)" by Franklin W. Dixon

The investor story is not robot butlers or science-fiction spectacle — it is production costs.

From MarketWatch ● May 27, 2026

For something like robot butlers, the market is farther off, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 26, 2025

A battalion of chefs, butlers and drivers catering to the smallest of whims.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2025

Some offer "ski butlers" to ferry guests to and from the slopes, carry the skis, and even help put on their boots.

From BBC ● Mar. 2, 2025

The White House butlers who staffed the residence, mostly African American men who were our age or older, stood poised to help us with anything we needed.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

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