An officer in a king's or a nobleman's household, whose principal business it is to take charge of the liquors, plate, etc.; the head servant in a large house.
The servant in charge of the wines and of officiating at dinner. He also looked after the family ‘plateâ€(tm) sometimes sleeping in a room next to the safe in which it was locked at night. In the absence of a steward, he was the senior member of the male household staff, with power to fire the footmen. He also sometimes warmed and ironed the newspapers before the masterâ€(tm)s breakfast.
College butlers serve the senior members, e.g. at High Table.
A Butler is either formally trained, or highly experienced. The Butler supervises other domestic staff, serves meals and refreshments, answers the door and telephone, performs table and room set ups, and can be called upon for valet duties.
a manservant (usually the head servant of a household) who has charge of wines and the table
a frame of mind rather than a status or a series of duties
a senior domestic worker, whose duties traditionally included handling the
more than merely answered doors, the butler was responsible for directing the male portion of the indoor household staff (except those under direct authority of the male chef, if the house had one). The butler had extensive duties, including overseeing the correct service of meals, protecting the (pure silver) silverware from thieves, and being in charge of household security.