butler

¹ American  

[buht-ler] / ˈbʌt lər /

noun

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

• butlerlike adjective
• butlership noun
• underbutler noun

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 ; bottle ¹, -er ², -ier ²

Example Sentences

The broker opens the door, and there’s a butler.

From The Wall Street Journal

There, recent findings show, the enslaved cook and butler lived, and other slaves waited for orders.

From The Wall Street Journal

But there are also glimpses of a life of privilege, as the same email mentions she's in the south of France with the "perfect butler".

From BBC

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

The idea of having a friendly robot butler that can do all the dull duties of running a home has existed for decades.

From BBC