butler
/ˈbʌt.lɚ/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.08 in modern English
8
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A manservant having charge of wines and liquors.
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.
verb
To buttle, to dispense wines or liquors; to take the place of a butler.
Example Sentences
- "“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. …""
Etymology
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.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈbʌt.lɚ/
- British English: /ˈbʌt.lə(ɹ)/
Usage
Subject
Wiktionary places this term in People.