valet

[ va-ley, val-it, val-ey ]
See synonyms for valet on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a male servant who attends to the personal needs of his male employer, as by taking care of clothing or the like; manservant.

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

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

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

verb (used with or without object),val·et·ed, val·et·ing.
  1. to serve as a valet.

Origin of valet

1
1560–70; <French; Middle French va(s)let squire, equivalent to vas- (<Medieval Latin vassus servant) + -let-let; see vassal

Other words from valet

  • val·et·less, adjective
  • un·val·et·ed, adjective

Words that may be confused with valet

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use valet in a sentence

  • Ben tried, but it is so awkward for him, since he started valeting George at Whitby.

    The Celebrity at Home | Violet Hunt
  • And you're still valeting for Barberton, are you, Mr. Stevens?

    The Definite Object | Jeffery Farnol
  • The former does the valeting, the waiting, and is steward and butler, while the woman attends to the cooking and laundry.

    The Complete Bachelor | Walter Germain
  • He is never happy unless he is doing something—regularly valeting me and the boys.

    Dead Man's Land | George Manville Fenn
  • I'm not much of a sailor myself, but Alphonse knows something about other things besides cooking and valeting.

    Under the Chinese Dragon | F. S. Brereton

British Dictionary definitions for valet

valet

/ (ˈvælɪt, ˈvæleɪ) /


noun
  1. a manservant who acts as personal attendant to his employer, looking after his clothing, serving his meals, etc: French name: valet de chambre

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

verb-ets, -eting or -eted
  1. to act as a valet for (a person)

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

Origin of valet

1
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