server

American  

[sur-ver] / ˈsɜr vər /

noun

servers plural

1. a person who serves.

2. a person who waits on tables; a waiter or waitress.

3. something that serves or is used in serving, as a salver.

4. a broad fork, spoon, or spatula for dishing out and serving individual portions of food, as vegetables, cake, or pie.

5. Also called altar server.  Ecclesiastical. an attendant on the priest at Mass, who arranges the altar, makes the responses, etc.

6. (in tennis, badminton, handball, etc.) the player who puts the ball or shuttlecock in play.

7. Computers. a computer that makes services, as access to data files, programs, and peripheral devices, available to workstations on a network.

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server British  

/ ˈsɜːvə /

noun

1. a person who serves

2. RC Church a person who acts as acolyte or assists the priest at Mass

3. something that is used in serving food and drink

4. the player who serves in racket games

5. computing a computer or program that supplies data or resources to other machines on a network

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server Scientific  

/ sûr′vər /

1. A computer that manages centralized data storage or network communications resources. A server provides and organizes access to these resources for other computers linked to it.

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server Cultural  

1. Computer or software that performs administration or coordination functions within a network.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• servers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of server

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; serve + -er ¹ ( def. )

Explanation

You can refer to the person who delivers your food in a restaurant as a server. Be sure to leave your server a generous tip! The term server has become a very common synonym for "waiter" or "waitress." It's preferable to talk about the friendly server who takes your order, since the word isn't specific to their gender but works for anyone who serves food. Another meaning of server is the computer hardware in a network of linked computers that allows those devices to work properly.

Example Sentences

Bulky server racks and wafer-thin semiconductors needed for the AI build-out are taking up space in cargo planes once occupied by packages of low-price apparel and knickknacks.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026

Bulky items such as server racks have to be transported on freighters built for large shipments, unlike small, soft-sided e-commerce packages that can travel in the bellies of passenger planes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 8, 2026

It expects global server revenue growth of 74% in 2026 — up from year-over-year growth of 43% previously — and then 65% in 2027.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 1, 2026

The chip-smuggling scandal is only the latest setback for the server maker, which was nearly delisted from the Nasdaq last year after failing to file the required quarterly and annual reports with regulators on time.

From Barron's • Jun. 30, 2026

“They’re huevos Americanos,” said the next server, whose job it was to spear two brown sausages with a fork and slip them onto the plate.

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago

Related Words

• flight attendant
• hostess
• stewardess
• waiter
• waitress