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

Donna Motsinger said she was working as a waitress more than 50 years ago when the performer began to target her.

From Barron's

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

From The Wall Street Journal

"It's been business as usual for us, we stay calm," said the smiling waitress, an octopus tattoo curling up her forearm.

From Barron's

Dad relaxes, and when our waitress comes over to take our order, he asks for two baskets of breadsticks for the table even though he can’t eat them since he’s lactose intolerant.

From Literature

She was new, different and had an interesting story as a waitress who ousted an out-of-touch machine pol.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• flight attendant
• hostess
• stewardess
• waiter