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parlormaid

American  
[pahr-ler-meyd] / ˈpɑr lərˌmeɪd /

noun

  1. a maid who takes care of a parlor, answers the door, waits on guests, etc.


Etymology

Origin of parlormaid

First recorded in 1830–40; parlor + 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.

Marsh played Rose Buck, the head parlormaid in the Bellamy home.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2025

Shakespeare uses it and my parlormaid uses it, and an idiom which Shakespeare and my parlormaid use is good enough for me.

From Time Magazine Archive

When a Japanese artist bedded with a humble parlormaid in the early part of Queen Victoria's reign, the auspicious result was Japan's greatest politico-financier, His Excellency Korekiyo Takahashi.

From Time Magazine Archive

Below stairs their butler, Bridges, is finding fault with the parlormaid, Mrs. Bridges.

From Time Magazine Archive

"A person to see you, sir," said the tortoise-mouthed parlormaid.

From Sinister Street, vol. 2 by MacKenzie, Compton