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.
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
She gave him money for a deposit, bought bridesmaid dresses for her daughters, a veil, "a few little trinket bits".
From BBC • Feb. 12, 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
Do you know of any places where I could find a cute bridesmaid gown for under $100, or do you have any ideas on how I could cut the costs of attending this wedding?
From MarketWatch • Dec. 8, 2025
Two years later Root married the bridesmaid, Dora Monroe, and very likely broke her poet-sister’s heart.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
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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.