butler

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: but=ler

CIDE DICTIONARY

butler, n. [OE. boteler, F. bouteillier a bottle-bearer, a cupbearer, fr. LL. buticularius, fr. buticula bottle. See Bottle a hollow vessel.].

 An officer in a king's or a nobleman's household, whose principal business it is to take charge of the liquors, plate, etc.; the head servant in a large house.  [1913 Webster]
"The butler and the baker of the king of Egypt."  [1913 Webster]
"Your wine locked up, your butler strolled abroad."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

butler, n. the principal manservant of a household, usu. in charge of the wine cellar, pantry, etc.

Etymology

ME f. AF buteler, OF bouteillier: see BOTTLE

THESAURUS

butler

MC, attorney, bailiff, boy, chamberlain, chauffeur, coachman, croupier, curator, custodian, driver, emcee, equerry, factor, gardener, gentleman, gillie, guardian, house steward, houseboy, housekeeper, houseman, landreeve, librarian, lord-in-waiting, majordomo, man, manservant, master of ceremonies, proctor, procurator, seneschal, steward, valet, valet de chambre

ROGET THESAURUS

butler

Servant

N servant, subject, liegeman, servant, retainer, follower, henchman, servitor, domestic, menial, help, lady help, employe, attache, official, retinue, suite, cortege, staff, court, attendant, squire, usher, page, donzel, footboy, train bearer, cup bearer, waiter, lapster, butler, livery servant, lackey, footman, flunky, flunkey, valet, valet de chambre, equerry, groom, jockey, hostler, ostler, tiger, orderly, messenger, cad, gillie, herdsman, swineherd, barkeeper, bartender, bell boy, boots, boy, counterjumper, khansamah, khansaman, khitmutgar, yardman, bailiff, castellan, seneschal, chamberlain, major-domo, groom of the chambers, secretary, under secretary, assistant secretary, clerk, subsidiary, agent, subaltern, underling, understrapper, man, maid, maidservant, handmaid, confidente, lady's maid, abigail, soubrette, amah, biddy, nurse, bonne, ayah, nursemaid, nursery maid, house maid, parlor maid, waiting maid, chamber maid, kitchen maid, scullery maid, femme de chambre, femme fille, camarista, chef de cuisine, cordon bleu, cook, scullion, Cinderella, potwalloper, maid of all work, servant of all work, laundress, bedmaker, journeyman, charwoman, bearer, chokra, gyp (Cambridge), hamal, scout (Oxford), serf, vassal, slave, negro, helot, bondsman, bondswoman, bondslave, ame damnee, odalisque, ryot, adscriptus gleboe, villian, villein, beadsman, bedesman, sizar, pensioner, pensionary, client, dependant, dependent, hanger on, satellite, parasite, led captain, protege, ward, hireling, mercenary, puppet, tool, creature, badge of slavery, bonds, in the train of, in one's pay, in one's employ, at one's call, in bonds.