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maid of honor

American  

noun

  1. an unmarried woman who is the chief attendant of a bride.

  2. an unmarried woman, usually of noble birth, attendant on a queen or princess.


Etymology

Origin of maid of honor

First recorded in 1580–90

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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.

Address the maid of honor directly and let her know you’d love to have some details finalized by a specific deadline.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 29, 2026

Their two daughters, Nia and Rena Lovelis, both in their mid-20s, will serve as “best man” and maid of honor.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 28, 2025

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

Next, Mr. Cantor and I delivered the orchid corsages to the bride and her maid of honor.

From "The View From Saturday" by E.L. Konigsburg

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