A person who works behind a bar in a restaurant or pub, serving drinks to customers.
Compound word formed from 'bar' (the counter where drinks are served) and 'keep' (to manage or tend to). It's an American variation of the British term 'barman,' emerging in the late 1800s as informal slang.
The word 'barkeep' tells a story about American English—it's pure slang that became official! The suffix '-keep' appears in old words like 'beekeeper' and 'gatekeeper,' so Americans literally reinvented what to call bartenders.
Historically male-coded occupation; 'barkeeper' excluded women from tavern work and associated authority/trust in public spaces with men.
Use 'bartender' (gender-neutral) or 'barkeeper' in historical contexts with acknowledgment of gendered labour exclusion.
["bartender","bar staff"]
Women bartenders fought for workplace access and union recognition; many early female bartenders were misclassified as 'waitresses' despite identical work.
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