Description: Ever wondered why busing a table has absolutely nothing to do with buses When someone says they're busing a table you might picture a yellow school bus or public transit but that's totally off track The term comes from omnibus boy with omnibus meaning 4 all in Latin Back in the late 1800s a busboy was the omnibus boy who did everything clearing dishes filling water glasses resetting tables the all-round helper in a restaurant The Oxford English Dictionary records busboy in print as early as 1902 It has 0 connection to public buses It's a linguistic shortcut from omnibus boy not a vehicle You'll see both busing and bussing tables Bussing tables appears in print from the 1940s long after busboy appeared And today busser is preferred over busboy or busgirl to be more inclusive Next time you're at a busy restaurant remember that the person bussing your table isn't driving anything They're the unsung hero making your meal smoother just like the original omnibus boy who did a bit of everything If you learned something new today hit follow for more surprising word origins and myth-busting explanations