Where does “waiting staff” come from?
waiting staff (English) comes from English waiting, from English wait, from Middle English waiten, from Anglo-Norman waiter, from Frankish wahtwēn, from Frankish wahtu, from Proto-Germanic wahtwō, from Proto-Germanic wakaną — lively, awake; strong.
waiting staff (English): Collectively, staff employed to wait at tables in a restaurant
Definitions
- Collectively, staff employed to wait at tables in a restaurant
Ancestry of “waiting staff”, step by step
waiting staff traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English waiting
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | waiting | present participle of wait; Watching; The act of... |
| 2 | English | wait | To delay movement or action until the arrival or... |
| 3 | Middle English | waiten | to look at, behold |
| 4 | Anglo-Norman | waiter | — |
| 5 | Frankish | wahtwēn | to guard, protect; to keep watch |
| 6 | Frankish | wahtu | watch, guard; watch, guard duty, watchtower;... |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | wahtwō | watch, vigil |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | wakaną | to wake, be awake, arise |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | weǵ- | lively, awake; strong |
via English staff
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | staff | A long, straight, thick wooden rod or stick,... |
| 2 | Middle English | staf | A staff, rod or pole; a relatively long, narrow,... |
| 3 | Old English | stæf | staff; letter, written character |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | stab | staff; letter |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | stabaz | staff, stick |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | stebʰ- | to stand still; to harden |