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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

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

butler Butler butlers

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

He was also a sinister Pennywise in the miniseries adaptation of Stephen King’s “It,” a secretive butler named Wadsworth in “Clue,” and the evil Lord of Darkness in “Legend.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

Ismael Camenforte Lopez, described in Germany as his manager's "ball butler", is known for feeding balls into training matches, allowing sessions to be played at a high tempo.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 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

“Now this is a fine wine, sir,” said the butler.

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

“Play is really important for their brains to not only grow, but stay happy and healthy,” Butler said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

Wright, Gregory and Butler appeared in person, while the others attended via video link.

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

Butler finds just sitting with the cats, even at a distance, helps build the relationship.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

Three further defendants - Mark Butler, 45, David James, 58, and Terry Stephens, 67 - also appeared in court on Friday accused of the same offence.

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

Butler had been weaned on the old Southern epic tales about Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Jeb Stuart, and Nathan Bedford Forrest, and so he, too, believed in the South’s possible redemption.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

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

Very soon, naturally, butlers up and down the country, under pressure from their employers, were focusing their minds on the question of silver-polishing.

From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro