handmaid

American  

[hand-meyd] / ˈhændˌmeɪd /

Also handmaiden

noun

• handmaids
  plural

1. something that is necessarily subservient or subordinate to another.

   Ceremony is but the handmaid of worship.

2. a female servant or attendant.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• handmaids
  plural

Etymology

Origin of handmaid

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at hand, maid

Explanation

Handmaid is an old fashioned word for a housekeeper or servant. Wealthy people living in grand houses once employed handmaids to clean for and serve them. You're most likely to come across the word handmaid in a book these days, since in-house "help" is more likely to be called a "cleaner," "housekeeper," or, rarely, a "maid." Years ago, handmaids were employed to work closely with their employers, sometimes as "ladies-in-waiting," assistants to queens and other royals. The term comes from maid, "young woman," and the "close-at-hand" sense of hand.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

handmaid handmaids

And this is exactly the problem the handmaid comparison ignores.

From Slate ● Oct. 23, 2020

Until recently, the group used the term “handmaids” to refer to female leaders, inspired by a biblical reference to Mary, the mother of Jesus, as “the handmaid of the Lord.”

From New York Times ● Oct. 8, 2020

Ultimately, the episode opens with the handmaids and Aunt Lydia gathered to help a handmaid in labor.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2019

That this is happening to the image of the handmaid is, of course, deeply ironic.

From The Guardian ● Jun. 12, 2019

The khal had commanded the handmaid Irri to teach Dany to ride in the Dothraki fashion, but it was the filly who was her real teacher.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

Atwood’s 1985 novel about a futuristic patriarchal society where the robed handmaids are forced to bear children for leaders, has reemerged in recent years as a cultural touchstone thanks to the popular TV series.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 16, 2023

Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” includes actors of color among Gilead’s ruling theocracy and its subjugated handmaids.

From New York Times ● Sep. 29, 2022

Margaret Atwood’s dystopian Gilead centers on a hierarchical system of red-clad handmaids and blue-draped wives.

From Slate ● Oct. 23, 2020

Some women in leadership positions used to be called handmaids, but now are referred to as “women leaders,” Lent said, to avoid the perception of servility.

From Reuters ● Sep. 26, 2020

By the time dusk fell, her handmaids would need to help her down from her mount.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin