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Waiter vs Wafter - What's the difference?

waiter | wafter |

In obsolete terms the difference between waiter and wafter

is that waiter is a vessel or tray on which something is carried, as dishes, etc.; a salver while wafter is an agent of the Crown with responsibility for protecting specific maritime activities, such as shipping or fishing.

As nouns the difference between waiter and wafter

is that waiter is a male or sometimes female attendant who serves customers in a restaurant, café or similar while wafter is armed convoy or escort ship.

waiter

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A male or sometimes female attendant who or similar.
  • * , title=The Mirror and the Lamp
    • , chapter=2 citation , passage=She was a fat, round little woman, richly apparelled in velvet and lace, […]; and the way she laughed, cackling like a hen, the way she talked to the waiters and the maid, […]—all these unexpected phenomena impelled one to hysterical mirth, and made one class her with such immortally ludicrous types as Ally Sloper, the Widow Twankey, or Miss Moucher.}}
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
    • , chapter=5 citation , passage=A waiter brought his aperitif, which was a small scotch and soda, and as he sipped it gratefully he sighed.
      ‘Civilized,’ he said to Mr. Campion. ‘Humanizing.’ […] ‘Cigars and summer days and women in big hats with swansdown face-powder, that's what it reminds me of.’}}
  • (literally) Someone who waits for somebody or something; a person who is waiting.
  • (obsolete) A vessel or tray on which something is carried, as dishes, etc.; a salver.

    • Derived terms

    * landwaiter * tide waiter

    Related terms

    * wait * waitress

    See also

    * barista * bartender * * server

    References

    wafter

    English

    Etymology 1

    Alteration of (etyl) waughter'', from (etyl) or (etyl) ''wachter'' (a guard), from ''wachten (to guard)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) Armed convoy or escort ship
  • (obsolete) An agent of the Crown with responsibility for protecting specific maritime activities, such as shipping or fishing.

    • Etymology 2

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • One who, or that which, wafts.
    • Thou wafter of the soul to bliss or bane — Beaumont and Fletcher.