waitress

American  

[wey-tris] / ˈweɪ trɪs /

noun

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.

Etymology

Origin of waitress

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

Example Sentences

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

Michelle Pfeiffer pays her mother, an ex-Hooters waitress, and Nick Offerman plays her dad, a former pro wrestler.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

The family scraped by with meager income his mother obtained from such jobs as waitress and laundry worker.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

Cindy Dionicio is a waitress, a saleswoman and a cleaner -- sometimes all in the same day.

From Barron's • Feb. 11, 2026

The waitress came over and asked us for our order, and Mei-li told it to her.

From "We Were Here" by Matt De La Peña

Related Words

• flight attendant
• hostess
• stewardess
• waiter