English · Word Candidate

butler

/ˈbʌt.lə(ɹ)/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: butlers · butlering · butlered

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A manservant having charge of wines and liquors.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

The chief male servant of a household who has charge of other employees, receives guests, directs the serving of meals, and performs various personal services.

Noun

Examples

“One marble hall, with staircase complete, one butler and three flunkeys to receive a retired sojer who dares to ring the bell. D'you know, old boy, I gave my bowler to the butler, whangee to one flunkey, gloves to another, and there was the fourth poor blighter looking like an orphan at a Mothers'

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

To buttle, to dispense wines or liquors; to take the place of a butler.

Verb

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “butler” mean?

A manservant having charge of wines and liquors.

Is “butler” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.