bartender

IPA/ˈbɑːtendə(r)/
KK[bˈɑrtˌɛndɚ]IPA/ˈbɑːrtendər/

bartender — noun

  • bartendersingular
  • bartendersplural

1. Someone employed to stand behind the counter in a bar, take customers’ drink ord

1.nounB1
Definition

Someone employed to stand behind the counter in a bar, take customers’ drink orders, prepare the drinks, and serve them across the counter.

Example

When the pub became busy, Javier asked the bartender for two beers and a glass of white wine.

asked the bartender for

Sofia worked as a bartender at a small hotel near the coast for two summers.

worked as a bartender

Common collocations
  • experienced bartender
  • professional bartender
  • friendly bartender
  • work as a bartender
  • train as a bartender
  • ask the bartender for
Synonyms
  • barman

    Chiefly British term; refers to a male bartender, though often used generically in the UK.

  • barmaid

    Feminine form, used mainly in British English. Less common today as many bars prefer gender-neutral job titles.

  • barkeeper

    Can mean either a bartender or the person who owns/manages the bar.

  • mixologist

    A more specialised or trendy term for someone skilled at creating original cocktails.

Antonyms
  • customer

    a person who orders and receives drinks from the bartender

  • patron

    a regular customer of a bar, served by the bartender

Grammar Patterns

[countable] a person who works as a bartender

Usage Note

Commonly used in North American English. British English more often uses 'barman' (male) or 'barmaid' (female), though 'bartender' is now widely understood in the UK as a gender-neutral term.

Common Mistakes

❖ 'I asked the barman for water' (in the US). ✅ 'I asked the bartender for water.' — In American English 'bartender' is the standard word; 'barman' sounds British or old-fashioned to US readers.

❖ 'The bartender cooked our dinner.' ✅ 'The bartender made our drinks.' — A bartender prepares and serves drinks, not food (unless the bar also has a kitchen).

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Bartender is the standard, gender-neutral term in American English for someone who prepares and serves drinks in a bar. Barman and barmaid are the traditional British counterparts, though 'barman' is still common in the UK and 'barmaid' is declining as job titles become gender-neutral. Barkeeper overlaps with bartender but can also refer to the person who owns or manages the bar, implying a broader role. Mixologist is a more modern, prestige term for a bartender with expert knowledge of cocktail recipes and original drink creation; it is rarely used in everyday conversation. In a casual pub, you ask the 'bartender' or 'barman' for a beer; at a fancy cocktail lounge, you might compliment the 'mixologist' on an inventive drink.

bartender ↗barman ↗barmaidbarkeepermixologist ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • bartender's station
  • bartender's apron

Phrases

  • work as a bartender
  • train as a bartender
  • tips for the bartender

Prepositions

  • at a bar
  • behind the bar

Etymology

Old FrenchEnglishAmerican English

A compound of 'bar' (the long counter where drinks are served, from Old French 'barre' meaning a barrier or rod) and 'tender' (from the verb 'tend', meaning to attend to or take care of). The word first appeared in the United States in the late 1800s, replacing older terms like 'barman' and 'barmaid' with a gender-neutral job title.