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
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
Bridesmaid Mehrunissa Thomas says: "She had gone from just being a normal person and suddenly she was this celebrity."
From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026
Bridesmaid + 1: To those who have grown weary of wedding questions, please note: This is not a wedding question.
From Washington Post • Oct. 28, 2022
Q. Bridesmaid vs. bridezilla: When a bride insists that her bridal party get their hair and makeup done professionally by a person of her choosing who charges Hollywood prices, who should pay?
From Slate • Apr. 17, 2017
So far, the Bridesmaid actress has stuck with long sleeves, but with the warmer weather, we'd love to see her pick something a little more flashy.
From Time • Feb. 18, 2012
Bridesmaid shrugs her shoulders, dashes up to the bride's room and dashes down again.
From Etiquette by Post, Emily
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.