sommelier

American  

[suhm-uhl-yey, saw-muh-lyey] / ˌsʌm əlˈyeɪ, sɔ məˈlyeɪ /

noun

plural

sommeliers

1. a waiter, as in a club or restaurant, who is in charge of wines.

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sommelier British  

/ ˈsʌməlˌjeɪ /

noun

1. a wine steward in a restaurant or hotel

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Etymology

Origin of sommelier

1920–25; < French, Middle French, dissimilated form of *sommerier, derivative of sommier one charged with arranging transportation, equivalent to somme burden (< Late Latin sagma horse load < Greek ságma covering, pack saddle) + -ier -ier ²

Explanation

If you want to impress your dining companions at a fancy restaurant, be sure to refer to the special waiter who serves wine as a sommelier. You're unlikely to see a sommelier unless you eat at an expensive restaurant where there is a carefully selected menu of wine chosen by the sommelier to complement the food. She will also serve and pour the wine into glasses, and often wait for the diners to taste and approve of it. In French, the word sommelier literally means "butler," and it's been used since the 19th century to mean "wine steward" or "wine waiter."

Example Sentences

Martynas Zemavicius, a former sommelier in London restaurants, founded his company Acala in Lithuania to produce tea-based drinks that mimic the minerality, pH level and sugar content of wine.

From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026

He also became a certified sommelier and lecturer who teaches a community education course on the art and science of winemaking.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 25, 2026

Riese and fellow water sommelier Michael Mascha, founder of FineWaters, a water connoisseur platform, began training people in their field in 2006.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 20, 2025

She has gone on to judge awards, host retreats, and work as an olive oil sommelier, and says she is busier now than ever.

From BBC • Jul. 11, 2025

The sommelier brought the beer, tall, beaded on the outside of the steins, and cold.

From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway