waitress

American  

[wey-tris] / ˈweɪ trɪs /

noun

waitresses plural

1. a woman who waits on tables, as in a restaurant.

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verb (used without object)

1. to work or serve as a waitress.

   She waitressed in a restaurant to help pay her way through college.

waitress British  

/ ˈweɪtrɪs /

noun

1. a woman who serves at table, as in a restaurant

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verb

1. (intr) to act as a waitress

Gender

See -ess, -person.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• waitresses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of waitress

First recorded in 1580–90; wait(e)r + -ess

Example Sentences

She eventually gets a job as a waitress at a downtown L.A. coffee shop, but keeps it a secret for fear Veda will judge her.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 29, 2026

Price's policy of tipping 15% in a restaurant might seem generous to many people, but in certain cities in the US it could very well result in a frosty response from a waiter or waitress.

From BBC • May 27, 2026

Ms. Reilly, whose Beth is unbearably snide, doesn’t really act but is still a presence, partly because she dresses like a roadhouse waitress rather than a cattle mogul.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

Berry, the dancer who worked with Cynthia at Playmates, said she was clocking in that evening when the head waitress informed her that Cynthia’s body had been found.

From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026

The waitress comes over with water and a menu.

From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon

Related Words

• flight attendant
• hostess
• stewardess
• waiter