Added 9 October 2026
wait
/weɪt/ verb
In Latin: expectō, exspectō, opperior Wiktionary
verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about wait at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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To delay movement or action until some event or time; to remain neglected or in readiness.
Wait here until your car arrives.
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To wait tables; to serve customers in a restaurant or other eating establishment.
She used to wait in this joint.
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To delay movement or action until the arrival or occurrence of; to await. (Now generally superseded by “wait for”.)
to wait one’s turn
noun
interjection
noun
Origin
From Middle English waiten, from Anglo-Norman waiter, waitier (compare French guetter from Old French gaitier, guaitier), from Frankish *wahtwēn (“to watch, guard”), derivative of Frankish *wahtu (“guard, watch”), from Proto-Germanic *wahtwō (“guard, watch”), from Proto-Indo-European *weǵ- (“to be fresh, cheerful, awake”). Cognate with Old High German wahtēn (“to watch, guard”), German Low German wachten (“to wait”), Dutch wachten (“to wait, expect”), French guetter (“to watch out for”), Saterland Frisian wachtje (“to wait”), West Frisian wachtsje (“to wait”), North Frisian wachtjen (“to stand, stay put”). More at watch.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)