Maidservant
/ˈmeɪdˌsɜːrvənt/noun
A female domestic worker or female servant.
Did you know?The first element, *maid*, once simply meant “young woman” or “girl,” and only later narrowed in some contexts to a domestic worker, showing how words can quietly absorb social hierarchy over time.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
mægden
“A girl, maiden, or young woman.”
Old English
OE
þēow
“A servant, slave, or one in bondage.”
Middle English
ME
maide
“A young woman; later also a female domestic worker in some contexts.”
Middle English
ME
servaunt
“A servant or attendant.”
Modern English
EN
maidservant
“A female servant, especially in older or literary usage.”