What is the Latin word for waiter?

The usual Latin words for “waiter” are famulus, minister, appāritor; also stō, repositōrium, ancilla. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“waiter” in Latin

famulusa servant, slave ministerattendant, servant, slave, waiter; agent, aide; accomplice appāritora gatekeeper; a public servant; a servant, secretary, lictor, deputy stōto stand; to stay, remain; to cost, to be set at, stand at (e.g., a price)repositōriumsomething on which something else is placed; a tray for carrying dishes to the table; a repository or cabinet ancillamaid, slave-girl; handmaiden

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

waiter

famulus (as a domestic servant): minister (a helper, assistant): apparitor: stator (of magistrates; the latter, of those in the provinces). A female waiter, famula (as a domestic servant): ministra (a female assistant): ministra cauponae: (at an inn, etc.; Codex Justinianus, 9, 7, 1, § 1, Ritter): ancilla (a maid-servant).

Tray so called, repositorium (☞ Freund’s Lex., Petron., 35, 2, etc.).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for waiter?: The usual Latin words for “waiter” are famulus, minister, appāritor; also stō, repositōrium, ancilla. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.