dumbwaiter

[ duhm-wey-ter ]

noun

1. a small elevator, manually or electrically operated, consisting typically of a box with shelves, used in apartment houses, restaurants, and large private dwellings for moving dishes, food, garbage, etc., between floors.
2. British.
   1. an auxiliary serving table.
   2. a serving stand with tiers of revolving shelves.
   3. a serving cart.

dumbwaiter

/ ˈdʌmˌweɪtə /

noun

1. 1. a stand placed near a dining table to hold food
   2. a revolving circular tray placed on a table to hold food US and Canadian namelazy Susan
2. a lift for carrying food, rubbish, etc, between floors

Word History and Origins

Origin of dumbwaiter¹

First recorded in 1745–55; dumb + waiter

Example Sentences

Another innovation was the dumbwaiter, which moved hot food and bottles of wine from the belowground kitchens and storerooms—called “dependencies”—up to the first floor.

From Literature

Joshua Shaw, a 27-year-old carpenter with Mavid Construction, died in June after he was struck by a dumbwaiter car while working inside one of the football stadium’s video scoreboards, WLUK-TV reported Tuesday.

From Seattle Times

Occasionally, your group will be divided, communicating only by a makeshift dumbwaiter in the byzantine rooms that create the sensation of being in a maze-like mansion.

From Los Angeles Times

It's a dumbwaiter that was designed to carry these heavy glass plates.

From Scientific American

Built in 1892, its features from that era include a 25-foot-long hallway, pocket doors and a butler’s pantry with a dumbwaiter.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• escalator