valet

[va-ley, val-it, val-ey]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR valet ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a male servant who attends to the personal needs of his male employer, as by taking care of clothing or the like; manservant.

a man who is employed for cleaning and pressing, laundering, and similar services for patrons of a hotel, passengers on a ship, etc.

an attendant who parks cars for patrons at a hotel, restaurant, etc.

a stand or rack for holding coats, hats, etc.

verb (used with or without object), val·et·ed, val·et·ing.

to serve as a valet.

Origin of valet

1560–70; < French; Middle French va(s)let squire, equivalent to vas- (< Medieval Latin vassus servant) + -let -let; see vassal

Related formsval·et·less, adjectiveun·val·et·ed, adjective

Can be confusedvalet valid

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for valet

servant, attendant, squire, dresser, manservant, equerry

Examples from the Web for valet

Contemporary Examples of valet

A valet found Hilton's possessions down the road from her property and her driver retrieved them.
Elle Macpherson Remarries; "Bling Ring" Copycats Attempt to Rob Paris Hilton
The Fashion Beast Team
August 5, 2013
In keeping with its Los Angeles origins, Pinkberry is a valet operation.
Frozen-Yogurt Shops Are Everywhere, but We Are Nowhere Near Saturation
Daniel Gross
July 19, 2013
After a few years, he ended up in Moscow, where he was briefly employed as valet to a wealthy nobleman.
The Black Count of Russia
Noah Charney
March 17, 2013
The food might be pretty, but you just want the valet to bring your car around already.
Why I’m Tired of ‘Top Chef’
Jace Lacob
February 1, 2012
A few minutes later, a blue, economy-sized vehicle pulls up and a valet yells our name.
Oscars 2011: Red Carpet and Vanity Fair Party Photos
Jacob Bernstein
February 27, 2011

Historical Examples of valet

Mr. Wing is an American-born Chinese and practises the profession of a valet.
The Garden of Bright Waters
Various
The valet drew near and whispered something in his master's ear.
Night and Morning, Complete
Edward Bulwer-Lytton
Now did I not hear him this minute announced by his own valet?
Tales And Novels, Volume 9 (of 10)
Maria Edgeworth
The Marquis looked that way, and listened for the retreating step of his valet.
A Tale of Two Cities
Charles Dickens
The General also had two servants with him, a valet, and a maid.
The Inn at the Red Oak
Latta Griswold

British Dictionary definitions for valet

valet

noun

a manservant who acts as personal attendant to his employer, looking after his clothing, serving his meals, etcFrench name: valet de chambre

a manservant who attends to the requirements of patrons in a hotel, passengers on board ship, etc; steward

verb -ets, -eting or -eted

to act as a valet for (a person)

(tr) to clean the bodywork and interior of (a car) as a professional service

Word Origin for valet

C16: from Old French vaslet page, from Medieval Latin vassus servant; see vassal

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for valet

"personal man-servant," mid-14c., from Old French valet, variant of vaslet "man's servant," originally "squire, young man," from Gallo-Romance *vassellittus "young nobleman, squire, page," diminutive of Medieval Latin vassallus, from vassus "servant" (see vassal). Modern sense is usually short for valet de chambre; the general sense of "male household servant of the meaner sort" going with the variant form varlet. First recorded use of valet parking is from 1960.