busboy

noun

bus·​boy ˈbəs-ˌbȯi How to pronounce busboy (audio)
: a waiter's assistant
specifically : one who removes dirty dishes and resets tables in a restaurant

Examples of busboy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Nvidia co-founder and CEO Jensen Huang worked at Denny’s as a dishwasher before being promoted to busboy. — Carmine Gallo, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 This week, Chow scored a summer job as a busboy after months of relentless applying. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 9 Aug. 2026 The former busboy and restaurant server taught himself how to make shari while working at sushi restaurants around Los Angeles. — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026 When Pissenem arrived on the island as a former busboy in 2008, electronic dance music was a niche business. — Max Marshall, Vanity Fair, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for busboy

Word History

Etymology

omnibus busboy

First Known Use

1901, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of busboy was in 1901

Rhymes for busboy

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Browse Nearby Words

bus bar
busboy
busby
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Cite this Entry

“Busboy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/busboy. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

busboy

noun
bus·​boy ˈbəs-ˌbȯi How to pronounce busboy (audio)
: a person employed in a restaurant to remove dirty dishes and set tables

More from Merriam-Webster on busboy

Nglish: Translation of busboy for Spanish Speakers

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