Use waitress when the person is female and that detail matters. Use server or waitstaff when gender does not matter.
Use waitress when the person is female and that detail matters. Use server or waitstaff when gender does not matter.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| He is a waitress at the diner. | He is a waiter at the diner. |
| The waitress are serving the tables. | The waitresses are serving the tables. |
| I need a waitress to fix my computer. | I need a technician to fix my computer. |
Use waitress as a verb mainly for work history or job activity, as in someone waitressed during college.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| She waitressed customers all evening. | She waitressed all evening. |
| He waitressed at the diner. | He waited tables at the diner. |
| She waitressed the food to table six. | She served the food to table six. |
Use waitress for a female table server when gender is relevant. In many workplace contexts, server or waitstaff is clearer and more inclusive.
He is a waitress confuses the gender-specific noun with waiter or the neutral server.
Formed from waiter and the feminine suffix -ess. Earlier uses meant a female attendant, and modern dictionaries now center the restaurant and table-service sense.
What does waitress mean?
Waitress means a woman whose job is to serve customers at tables in a restaurant, cafe, bar, or similar place.
Is waitress gender-specific?
Yes. Waitress is gender-specific, while server and waitstaff avoid saying whether the person is a man or a woman.
Can waitress be used for a man?
No. A man in the same role is usually a waiter, or more neutrally a server.
What is the plural of waitress?
The regular plural is waitresses.
Can waitress be a verb?
Yes. To waitress means to work as a waitress, as in She waitressed on weekends.
How is waitress different from server?
Server is gender-neutral and can cover the same restaurant role, while waitress specifically refers to a female server.
Where does waitress come from?
Waitress is formed from waiter plus the feminine suffix -ess.