butler

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   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.

   “One marble hall, with staircase complete, one butler and three flunkeys to receive a retired sojer who dares to ring the bell. D'you know, old boy, I gave my bowler to the butler, whangee to one flunkey, gloves to another, and there was the fourth poor blighter looking like an orphan at a Mothers' Meeting. …".

2. 2
   noun

   a manservant (usually the head servant of a household) who has charge of wines and the table

3. 3
   noun

   A manservant having charge of wines and liquors.

4. 4
   noun

   A valet, a male personal attendant.

Simplified etymology

Butler is a Middle English word that shares its ultimate source with bottle: Latin buttis, meaning “cask” or “wineskin.” It originally denoted the man in charge of the bottles in a wine cellar.

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.

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External links

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