butler

Meaning

Noun

1. A manservant having charge of wines and liquors.
2. The chief male servant of a household who has charge of other employees, receives guests, directs the serving of meals, and performs various personal services.
3. A valet, a male personal attendant.

Verb

To buttle, to dispense wines or liquors; to take the place of a butler.

Synonyms

steward

pantryman

cup-bearer

majordomo

seneschal

attendant

housekeeper

jemadar

maid

maitre d’hotel

major-domo

quartermaster

saver

saving

maitre d’

court official

topsman

head of servants

house-steward

captain

chamberlain

chief steward

deacon

headwaiter

Hyphenated as

but‧ler

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈbʌt.lə(ɹ)/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: butler

In summary

From Middle English butler, butlere, boteler, botelere, from Old French buttiler, butiller, boteillier (“officer in charge of wine”), from Medieval Latin botellārius, equivalent to bottle + -er. Piecewise doublet of bottler.