Standard Lemma guide

busboy

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˈbʌsˌbɔɪ/
  • CMU ARPABET: B AH1 S B OY2 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An assistant waiter; one who clears plates from and cleans tables.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: busser, omnibus

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a restaurant attendant who sets tables and assists waiters and clears away dirty dishes

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: waiter's assistant

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: dining-room attendant, restaurant attendant

History

Etymology

Clipping of omnibus (“assistant waiter”) + boy.

Across languages

Translations

18 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: bordenwasser — assistant waiter; one who clears plates from and cleans tables
  • Finnish: plokkari — assistant waiter; one who clears plates from and cleans tables
  • German: Hilfskellner — assistant waiter; one who clears plates from and cleans tables
  • Hungarian: kisegítő pincér/felszolgáló — assistant waiter; one who clears plates from and cleans tables
  • Indonesian: pramudapur — assistant waiter; one who clears plates from and cleans tables
  • Indonesian: pramumeja — assistant waiter; one who clears plates from and cleans tables
  • Portuguese: cumim — assistant waiter; one who clears plates from and cleans tables
  • Romanian: picolo — assistant waiter; one who clears plates from and cleans tables
  • Slovene: pomivalec — assistant waiter; one who clears plates from and cleans tables
  • Slovene: pomočnik — assistant waiter; one who clears plates from and cleans tables
  • Spanish: ayudante de camarero — assistant waiter; one who clears plates from and cleans tables
  • Spanish: ayudante de mozo — assistant waiter; one who clears plates from and cleans tables
  • Spanish: galopín [de cocina] — assistant waiter; one who clears plates from and cleans tables
  • Spanish: comís — assistant waiter; one who clears plates from and cleans tables
  • Spanish: galopillo — assistant waiter; one who clears plates from and cleans tables
  • Swedish: diskplockare — assistant waiter; one who clears plates from and cleans tables
  • Swedish: nisse — assistant waiter; one who clears plates from and cleans tables
  • Turkish: garson yamağı — assistant waiter; one who clears plates from and cleans tables