# waitress

/ˈweɪtɹəs/ (US) · /wˈeɪtɹəs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/waitress
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. female server

noun · CEFR A1

a woman who serves food and drinks to people at their tables in a restaurant.

For teachers: a female attendant who serves customers in a restaurant, café, or similar establishment.

- The waitress brought us some extra napkins and more water for the table.
- The waitress managed the busy lunch rush with impressive efficiency, ensuring every table received their orders without delay.

Usage: While still common, many modern speakers prefer the gender-neutral term 'server' to avoid specifying the person's gender.

Teaching tip: In modern English, 'waiter' is sometimes used for both men and women, but 'waitress' remains specific to women.

### 2. to work as a server

verb · CEFR B2

to work as a waitress in a restaurant.

For teachers: to perform the duties of a waitress; to serve food and drink professionally.

- She waitressed at a local diner during the summer to save money for college.
- He recalled how his sister had waitressed throughout her university years to supplement her scholarship income.

Usage: This verb is often used intransitively or with the preposition 'at'.

## Examples

- The waitress brings our drinks to the table.
- After we finished our meal, the waitress asked if we wanted to see the dessert menu.
- The experienced waitress managed several tables at once during the lunch rush, ensuring every customer received their order promptly and without error.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.