maid
Americannoun
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a female domestic employee who cleans tourist accommodations or does cleaning or other housework in a home.
a hotel maid.
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a female domestic servant with any of various duties, especially in a large house (often used in combination).
a kitchen maid who assisted the cook; a handmaid; a lady’s maid; a nursery maid.
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Archaic. a girl or young unmarried woman.
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Archaic. a female virgin.
noun
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archaic a young unmarried girl; maiden
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a female servant
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( in combination )
a housemaid
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a spinster
Other Word Forms
- maidish adjective
- maidishness noun
- submaid noun
- undermaid noun
Etymology
Origin of maid
First recorded in 1225–1275; Middle English maide, maid, shortened variant of maiden
Explanation
A maid is a household worker who cleans and performs various other tasks. Today, only very wealthy people have maids — it's much more common to hire an occasional housekeeper or cleaner instead. In the US, it's uncommon to find a household with an actual maid, a servant who lives in the home and tidies it up, also doing jobs like ironing, grocery shopping, and cooking. In the old days, wealthy families employed maids who wore uniforms and sometimes waited on one individual woman, helping her dress herself and cleaning up after her. Maid, short for maiden, originally meant "unmarried woman."
Vocabulary lists containing maid
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.
A maid of honor to the queen passes the time with canvas work.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
For the uninitiated—or forgetful—this space-age family sitcom features George and Jane Jetson, living the American dream in an apartment in the sky with their two children, Judy and Elroy, dog Astro and robot maid, Rosey.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026
On Christmas Day, rugby star Meg Jones will be on a plane travelling to India, where she will be maid of honour at her best friend's wedding.
From BBC • Dec. 20, 2025
Don’t let this maid of honor, or the stress of being a bridesmaid, rob the ceremony of its cheer.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 8, 2025
Auntie worked as a maid and Uncle as a janitor—same as before the war.
From "A Place to Belong" by Cynthia Kadohata
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.
