waitress

waitress — noun

1. a woman employed in a dining establishment to take people's food orders, bring t

1.nounA2
Definition

a woman employed in a dining establishment to take people's food orders, bring them their meals, and attend to their needs while they eat.

Example

Adina works as a waitress at a busy seafood restaurant near the harbour.

works as a + waitress + at [place] — typical occupation pattern

The waitress brought us coffee and menus as soon as we sat down.

article + waitress + verb of immediate service

Common collocations
  • work as a waitress
  • waitress at [restaurant/café]
  • a friendly/helpful waitress
  • ask the waitress
  • leave a tip for the waitress
Synonyms
  • server

    gender-neutral, now the standard term in many restaurants and cafés

  • waiter

    traditionally masculine but increasingly used for any gender

  • food server

    formal term, often used in job listings or manuals

Grammar Patterns

a/an + waitress

waitress + verb (serves/brings/works)

Usage Note

This noun refers specifically to a woman who serves customers in a restaurant. In modern usage, the gender-neutral terms 'server' or 'waiter' are increasingly preferred, especially when the person's gender is unknown or irrelevant. 'Waitress' is still common but can sound dated or unnecessarily gendered in some contexts.

Common Mistakes

She works as a waitress at the hospital.
She works as a nurse at the hospital.
'waitress' is only used for restaurant-style food service, not healthcare.
The waitress is a man.
The waiter is a man.
'waitress' is the feminine form; use 'waiter' for men or 'server' for any gender.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three words describe a person who serves food and drinks in a restaurant. 'Waitress' is specifically feminine — it signals the gender of the worker. 'Waiter' was historically masculine but in many contemporary contexts — particularly in the UK and US — it is used for any gender, especially in job titles like 'waiter wanted'. 'Server' is the most neutral and professional term; it avoids gender assumptions entirely and is common in chain restaurants and formal job descriptions. 'Servers' also often handle a broader range of duties including bussing tables and processing payments. In casual speech, 'waitress' remains widely understood but can sound old-fashioned to younger speakers. Example: 'Valentina asked the server about gluten-free options' (neutral). 'My uncle worked as a waiter for twenty years' (masculine term used for a man). 'Her aunt was a waitress in a diner' (intentionally feminine).

waitress ↗waiter ↗server ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • work as a waitress
  • leave a tip for the waitress
  • ask the waitress for

Prepositions

Etymology

GermanicOld North FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Formed from English 'waiter' (a person who serves at table) plus the feminine suffix '-ess'. 'Waiter' itself comes from the verb 'wait' in the older sense of 'to attend to, to serve' (14th century), which traces back through Old North French 'waitier' to Germanic roots. The feminine form 'waitress' emerged in the 16th century and became the standard term for women in food service by the 19th century. In recent decades, gender-neutral alternatives have partly displaced it in professional contexts.