Definition

1. Noun:
   • A female domestic worker: A woman whose job is to clean the interior of a house or building. This role typically involves tasks such as dusting, vacuuming, mopping floors, and cleaning bathrooms and kitchens.
   • A woman employed for housework: Specifically refers to a woman hired, often on a part-time or regular schedule, to perform general cleaning duties in a private home or sometimes an office.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The cleaning lady comes every Tuesday to tidy up the apartment.
  • We hired a new cleaning lady who is very thorough and efficient.
  • Please leave the payment on the table for the cleaning lady.

Advanced Usage

• "To have a cleaning lady": To employ a woman for regular domestic cleaning services.
  • Many working families have a cleaning lady to help maintain the house.

Variants and Related Words

• Cleaner (n): A more general, gender-neutral term for a person whose job is cleaning. (e.g., ).
• Charwoman (n, somewhat dated): An old-fashioned term for a woman hired to do cleaning work, often by the day or hour.
• Housekeeper (n): A person, often live-in, responsible for the overall management and cleaning of a household, which can involve more duties than a cleaning lady.
• Maid (n): A more general term for a female domestic servant, which can include cleaning among other duties.

Synonyms

• Domestic helper: A person employed to help with household tasks.
• Char (n, informal, chiefly British): A woman employed to clean a house or building.

Notes on Usage

• The term "cleaning lady" is straightforward and descriptive. While still in common use, more neutral terms like "cleaner" or "cleaning professional" are often preferred in modern contexts to avoid specifying gender.
• The term can sometimes be considered informal. In formal contexts, job titles like "domestic cleaner" or "housekeeping attendant" might be used.

Noun

1. a human female employed to do housework
   • the char will clean the carpet
   • I have a woman who comes in four hours a day while I write