"waitron" meaning in English

See waitron in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

Forms: waitrons [plural]
Etymology: Coined as a gender-neutral substitute for waiter and waitress, this is one of the few words with the gender-neutral suffix -ron to have seen much use, probably re-inforced by rhyming with patron. (Some references instead analyse it as using the same "machinelike" suffix -tron as waitron (“mechanical waiter”), but more likely it uses -ron like laundron and like waiter and waitress use -er/-ress not *-ter/*-tress.) Etymology templates: {{m|en|-ron}} -ron, {{m|en|patron}} patron, {{m|en|waitron||mechanical waiter}} waitron (“mechanical waiter”), {{m|en|-ron}} -ron, {{m|en|waiter}} waiter, {{m|en|waitress}} waitress, {{m|en|-er}} -er, {{m|en|-ress}} -ress, {{m|en||*-ter}} *-ter, {{m|en||*-tress}} *-tress Head templates: {{en-noun}} waitron (plural waitrons)
  1. (nonstandard, rare) A waiter or waitress. Tags: nonstandard, rare Categories (topical): Occupations, People Synonyms: waitperson, waitstaff [collective], server
    Sense id: en-waitron-en-noun-u2yIqTL4 Disambiguation of Occupations: 55 45 Disambiguation of People: 52 48 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with language name categories using raw markup, English entries with topic categories using raw markup, English terms suffixed with -tron Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 57 43 Disambiguation of English entries with language name categories using raw markup: 50 50 Disambiguation of English entries with topic categories using raw markup: 58 42 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -tron: 58 42
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Etymology number: 1

Noun

Forms: waitrons [plural]
Etymology: From waiter + -tron. Etymology templates: {{suffix|en|waiter|tron}} waiter + -tron Head templates: {{en-noun}} waitron (plural waitrons)
  1. (dated, science fiction) A robotic or mechanical waiter. Tags: dated Categories (topical): Science fiction, People
    Sense id: en-waitron-en-noun-e5v1pY~U Disambiguation of People: 52 48 Categories (other): English entries with language name categories using raw markup Disambiguation of English entries with language name categories using raw markup: 50 50 Topics: literature, media, publishing, science-fiction
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Etymology number: 2

Inflected forms

Download JSON data for waitron meaning in English (5.7kB)

{
  "etymology_number": 1,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "-ron"
      },
      "expansion": "-ron",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "patron"
      },
      "expansion": "patron",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "waitron",
        "3": "",
        "4": "mechanical waiter"
      },
      "expansion": "waitron (“mechanical waiter”)",
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    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "-ron"
      },
      "expansion": "-ron",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "waiter"
      },
      "expansion": "waiter",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "waitress"
      },
      "expansion": "waitress",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "-er"
      },
      "expansion": "-er",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "-ress"
      },
      "expansion": "-ress",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "",
        "3": "*-ter"
      },
      "expansion": "*-ter",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "",
        "3": "*-tress"
      },
      "expansion": "*-tress",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Coined as a gender-neutral substitute for waiter and waitress, this is one of the few words with the gender-neutral suffix -ron to have seen much use, probably re-inforced by rhyming with patron. (Some references instead analyse it as using the same \"machinelike\" suffix -tron as waitron (“mechanical waiter”), but more likely it uses -ron like laundron and like waiter and waitress use -er/-ress not *-ter/*-tress.)",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "waitrons",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "waitron (plural waitrons)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "57 43",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
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        },
        {
          "_dis": "50 50",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with language name categories using raw markup",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
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          "_dis": "58 42",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with topic categories using raw markup",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "58 42",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms suffixed with -tron",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "55 45",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Occupations",
          "orig": "en:Occupations",
          "parents": [
            "People",
            "Work",
            "Human",
            "Human activity",
            "All topics",
            "Human behaviour",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "52 48",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "People",
          "orig": "en:People",
          "parents": [
            "Human",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1992, Julian May, Jack the Bodiless, Knopf, →OL",
          "text": "With adolescent perversity, he turned up his nose at all of the elegant French items on the Closerie's menu and scandalized the waitron by demanding corned-beef hash—fried extra crisp—with poached eggs, a slice of fresh papaya with lime, banana-walnut bread, and a pitcher of Mexican chocolate.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2004 September 28, Tracey Dalton, The Food and Beverage Handbook, Lansdowne: Juta and Company Ltd., →OL, page 48",
          "text": "Table Service is the combined interaction between the guest and the waitron whilst seated at a table in the establishment's restaurant.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2008 February 1, Jenny Ratcliffe-Wright, Spit Or Swallow: A Guide for the Wine Virgin, Lansdowne: Double Storey, →OL, page 89",
          "text": "If your wine waitron smells the cork, s/he's probably a beginner at this game because you can tell absolutely nothing by smelling the cork.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2010 May 10, Sam Cowen, “Jo'burg and London, relatively speaking”, in Daily Telegraph, →ISSN",
          "text": "Come back here with your cut glass, posh English accent and waitrons everywhere will melt at your feet.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A waiter or waitress."
      ],
      "id": "en-waitron-en-noun-u2yIqTL4",
      "links": [
        [
          "waiter",
          "waiter"
        ],
        [
          "waitress",
          "waitress"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(nonstandard, rare) A waiter or waitress."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "waitperson"
        },
        {
          "tags": [
            "collective"
          ],
          "word": "waitstaff"
        },
        {
          "word": "server"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "nonstandard",
        "rare"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "waitron"
  ],
  "word": "waitron"
}

{
  "etymology_number": 2,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "waiter",
        "3": "tron"
      },
      "expansion": "waiter + -tron",
      "name": "suffix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From waiter + -tron.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "waitrons",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "waitron (plural waitrons)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Science fiction",
          "orig": "en:Science fiction",
          "parents": [
            "Fiction",
            "Speculative fiction",
            "Artistic works",
            "Genres",
            "Art",
            "Entertainment",
            "Culture",
            "Society",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "50 50",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
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          "_dis": "52 48",
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          "parents": [
            "Human",
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            "Fundamental"
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        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A robotic or mechanical waiter."
      ],
      "id": "en-waitron-en-noun-e5v1pY~U",
      "links": [
        [
          "science fiction",
          "science fiction"
        ],
        [
          "robotic",
          "robotic"
        ],
        [
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          "mechanical"
        ],
        [
          "waiter",
          "waiter"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(dated, science fiction) A robotic or mechanical waiter."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "dated"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "literature",
        "media",
        "publishing",
        "science-fiction"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "waitron"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
    "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
    "English gender-neutral terms",
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    "English nouns",
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    "en:Occupations",
    "en:People"
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      "args": {
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    {
      "args": {
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        "2": "waitron",
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        "4": "mechanical waiter"
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    {
      "args": {
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        "2": "-ron"
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      "expansion": "-ron",
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        "2": "waiter"
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      "name": "m"
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    {
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    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "-er"
      },
      "expansion": "-er",
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      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "-ress"
      },
      "expansion": "-ress",
      "name": "m"
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        "1": "en",
        "2": "",
        "3": "*-ter"
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    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "",
        "3": "*-tress"
      },
      "expansion": "*-tress",
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  ],
  "etymology_text": "Coined as a gender-neutral substitute for waiter and waitress, this is one of the few words with the gender-neutral suffix -ron to have seen much use, probably re-inforced by rhyming with patron. (Some references instead analyse it as using the same \"machinelike\" suffix -tron as waitron (“mechanical waiter”), but more likely it uses -ron like laundron and like waiter and waitress use -er/-ress not *-ter/*-tress.)",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "waitrons",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
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      "args": {},
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
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      "categories": [
        "English nonstandard terms",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with rare senses"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1992, Julian May, Jack the Bodiless, Knopf, →OL",
          "text": "With adolescent perversity, he turned up his nose at all of the elegant French items on the Closerie's menu and scandalized the waitron by demanding corned-beef hash—fried extra crisp—with poached eggs, a slice of fresh papaya with lime, banana-walnut bread, and a pitcher of Mexican chocolate.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2004 September 28, Tracey Dalton, The Food and Beverage Handbook, Lansdowne: Juta and Company Ltd., →OL, page 48",
          "text": "Table Service is the combined interaction between the guest and the waitron whilst seated at a table in the establishment's restaurant.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2008 February 1, Jenny Ratcliffe-Wright, Spit Or Swallow: A Guide for the Wine Virgin, Lansdowne: Double Storey, →OL, page 89",
          "text": "If your wine waitron smells the cork, s/he's probably a beginner at this game because you can tell absolutely nothing by smelling the cork.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2010 May 10, Sam Cowen, “Jo'burg and London, relatively speaking”, in Daily Telegraph, →ISSN",
          "text": "Come back here with your cut glass, posh English accent and waitrons everywhere will melt at your feet.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A waiter or waitress."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "waiter",
          "waiter"
        ],
        [
          "waitress",
          "waitress"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(nonstandard, rare) A waiter or waitress."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "nonstandard",
        "rare"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "waitperson"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "collective"
      ],
      "word": "waitstaff"
    },
    {
      "word": "server"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "waitron"
  ],
  "word": "waitron"
}

{
  "categories": [
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    "English entries with incorrect language header",
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    "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
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    "English nouns",
    "English terms suffixed with -tron",
    "en:Occupations",
    "en:People"
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  "etymology_number": 2,
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      "args": {
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        "2": "waiter",
        "3": "tron"
      },
      "expansion": "waiter + -tron",
      "name": "suffix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From waiter + -tron.",
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      "form": "waitrons",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
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    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "waitron (plural waitrons)",
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English dated terms",
        "en:Science fiction"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A robotic or mechanical waiter."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "science fiction",
          "science fiction"
        ],
        [
          "robotic",
          "robotic"
        ],
        [
          "mechanical",
          "mechanical"
        ],
        [
          "waiter",
          "waiter"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(dated, science fiction) A robotic or mechanical waiter."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "dated"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "literature",
        "media",
        "publishing",
        "science-fiction"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "waitron"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-05 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-05-02 using wiktextract (f4fd8c9 and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.