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Where does the word "butler" come from? It comes from Medieval Latin buticularius, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).
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Where does the word "butler" come from? It comes from Medieval Latin buticularius, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).
Butler’s story begins in Medieval Latin: buticularius meant “cup-bearer.” From 'buticula', bottle. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as bouteillier. The servant in charge of the wine. It reached English by 1200s as butler. Later the head servant of a household. Today, butler means the chief manservant of a house.
- Stage 1 · Medieval Latin · medieval buticularius "cup-bearer", from 'buticula', bottle.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval bouteillier "cup-bearer", the servant in charge of the wine.
- Stage 3 · English · 1200s butler "wine steward", later the head servant of a household.