server

[ sur-ver ]

noun

1. a person who serves.
2. a person who waits on tables; a waiter or waitress.
3. something that serves or is used in serving, as a salver.
4. a broad fork, spoon, or spatula for dishing out and serving individual portions of food, as vegetables, cake, or pie.
5. Also called al·tar serv·er [awl, -ter sur-ver]. Ecclesiastical. an attendant on the priest at Mass, who arranges the altar, makes the responses, etc.
6. (in tennis, badminton, handball, etc.) the player who puts the ball or shuttlecock in play.
7. Computers. a computer that makes services, as access to data files, programs, and peripheral devices, available to workstations on a network. Compare client ( def 5 ), file server.

server

/ ˈsɜːvə /

noun

1. a person who serves
2. RC Church a person who acts as acolyte or assists the priest at Mass
3. something that is used in serving food and drink
4. the player who serves in racket games
5. computing a computer or program that supplies data or resources to other machines on a network

server

/ sûr′vər /

1. A computer that manages centralized data storage or network communications resources. A server provides and organizes access to these resources for other computers linked to it.

server

1. Computer or software that performs administration or coordination functions within a network .

Word History and Origins

Origin of server¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; serve + -er ¹( def )

Example Sentences

The key difference between Bluesky and most other social media platforms is that it is decentralised, meaning it is operated on independent servers and not those owned by the company.

From BBC

But tapping into an LLM's power typically requires users to send their requests to a centralized server -- a process that's expensive, energy-intensive and often slow.

From Science Daily

Willis is starstruck the moment he sees Lana on a tiny TV screen at work, as servers and table cleaners push around him.

From Los Angeles Times

Bluesky has prided itself on centralizing its user experience on one server, meaning its users could only see one feed unaffected by troublesome algorithms that plague platforms like Twitter/X.

From Salon

Next, the study coordinator captured clinical and dermoscopic images, which were sent to a central server for remote review by a separate team of skin cancer specialists with expertise using dermoscopy.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• flight attendant
• hostess
• stewardess
• waiter
• waitress