maid of honor

American

noun

an unmarried woman who is the chief attendant of a bride.
an unmarried woman, usually of noble birth, attendant on a queen or princess.

Etymology

Origin of maid of honor

First recorded in 1580–90

Compare meaning

How does maid-of-honor compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

maid of honor vs. matron of honor

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.

While you want to go with the flow, it seems like you don’t trust the maid of honor to finalize the trip details.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 29, 2026

Conrad was maid of honor at Cooper’s wedding, but, as Cooper confessed on a recent podcast, they aren’t friends anymore.

From Salon • Jul. 7, 2025

He had recently attended a wedding where, in her toast, the maid of honor had thanked the bride for being her “trusted trespasser.”

From Slate • Apr. 27, 2025

Rob Young, Turner’s son-in-law, is best man, while Jen Woolston, Nist’s daughter, is maid of honor.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 4, 2024

Aunt Leanne had been her maid of honor, and Uncle Sammie had given her away.

From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023