bridesmaid
Americannoun
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a young woman who attends the bride at a wedding ceremony.
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Informal. a person, group, etc., that is in a secondary position, never quite attains a goal, etc..
Bridesmaids for 12 seasons, the Eagles finally won the championship.
noun
Etymology
Origin of bridesmaid
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Lady Pamela Hicks, who was a bridesmaid for Queen Elizabeth II, has died at the age of 97, her daughter has said.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
"It can be fun to speculate - what will the dress look like, who might be a bridesmaid, how big will the wedding be?"
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
DeSorbo was a bridesmaid at Batula’s wedding and vocal from the get-go about her disdain for Cooke.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
Taking the initiative in this way also establishes a clear boundary and may, at the very least, motivate this bridesmaid to drop out earlier rather than at the last minute.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 30, 2026
My sister Adele was due to get married at the end of May, and I was going to be a bridesmaid.
From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
