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bridesmaid

[ brahydz-meyd ]
/ ˈbraɪdzˌmeɪd /

noun

a young woman who attends the bride at a wedding ceremony.
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.

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Origin of bridesmaid

First recorded in 1545–55; bride1 + 's1 + maid

Words nearby bridesmaid

Bridalveil, bridal wreath, bride, bridegroom, bride price, bridesmaid, bridewell, Bridey, bridezilla, bridge, bridgeboard
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for bridesmaid

British Dictionary definitions for bridesmaid

bridesmaid
/ (ˈbraɪdzˌmeɪd) /

noun

a girl or young unmarried woman who attends a bride at her weddingCompare matron of honour, maid of honour
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012