Definition

1. Noun:
   • An unmarried woman who attends the bride at a wedding: A bridesmaid is a woman, typically a close friend or relative of the bride, who assists and accompanies her during the wedding ceremony and related events. Traditionally, she is unmarried.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • Sarah was honored to be a bridesmaid at her sister's wedding.
  • The bridesmaids wore beautiful matching dresses.
  • Her role as a bridesmaid involved helping the bride get ready on the big day.

Advanced Usage

• "Always a bridesmaid, never a bride": A common idiom expressing a situation where someone is frequently in a supporting role but never attains the primary or desired position themselves.
  • After being passed over for promotion again, he joked that he was always the bridesmaid, never the bride.

Variants and Related Words

• Maid of Honor (n): The chief bridesmaid, who is often the bride's closest friend or sister. Her duties are more extensive than those of the other bridesmaids.
  • Her best friend served as the maid of honor.
• Bridesmaid's dress (n): The specific attire worn by a bridesmaid.
  • The bride chose a blue bridesmaid's dress for her attendants.

Synonyms

• Attendant: A person who assists or serves, especially at a ceremony.
• Maiden of honor (archaic/formal): A term historically used for a bridesmaid.

Related Phrases

• To be a bridesmaid: To serve in the role of a bridesmaid.
  • She has been a bridesmaid three times.
• Bridesmaid party/bridal shower: A party held in honor of the bride, often attended by the bridesmaids.
  • The bridesmaids organized a lovely bridal shower.

Related Idioms

• "Always a bridesmaid, never a bride": As mentioned in Advanced Usage, this idiom is used metaphorically beyond weddings to describe someone who is perpetually in a secondary or supporting position.
  • In her career, she felt like she was always a bridesmaid, never the bride—always the assistant, never the manager.

Noun

1. an unmarried woman who attends the bride at a wedding