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

As midnight nears with the party in full swing, the waitress joins the throng on the dancefloor, swept up by the tunes -- until a power cut brings the music to a halt.

From Barron's

So a set was built in a converted house about 5 miles away, where Julia Roberts plays one of the three love-struck waitresses.

From The Wall Street Journal

The ice cream shop was like a time capsule with shiny red booths, waitresses dressed in pink dresses and aprons, and a jukebox in the corner.

From Literature

"We don't need 10 waitresses to be serving four tables," Gonzalez says.

From BBC

The Toronto-born actress got her foot in the door as a waitress at the Toronto Second City theatre franchise in the 1970s, before auditioning for a role with the famed acting troupe.

From BBC

Related Words

• flight attendant
• hostess
• stewardess
• waiter