maid-of-honour
Definition
- Noun:
- Principal bridesmaid: "maid-of-honour" refers to a bride's chief attendant at a wedding ceremony, typically an unmarried woman who assists the bride and is the most senior bridesmaid.
- Lady-in-waiting (historical): In royal or noble courts, "maid-of-honour" also denotes an unmarried woman who serves as a companion to a queen or princess.
Usage Examples
Principal bridesmaid:
- Her sister served as the maid-of-honour at the wedding. (The sister was the bride’s main attendant.)
- The maid-of-honour gave a heartfelt speech during the reception. (The chief bridesmaid spoke at the wedding party.)
Lady-in-waiting (historical):
- In the 16th century, a maid-of-honour attended the queen daily. (An unmarried noblewoman served as a royal companion.)
Advanced Usage
"to be a maid-of-honour": to hold the role of chief bridesmaid.
- She was asked to be the maid-of-honour for her best friend’s wedding. (She accepted the role of principal attendant.)
"maid-of-honour dress": the specific outfit worn by the maid-of-honour, often matching the bridesmaids but distinct.
- The maid-of-honour dress was a shade darker than the other bridesmaids’ gowns. (Her garment was subtly different in colour.)
Variants and Related Words
Matron of honour (n): a married woman serving as the chief bridesmaid.
- Her married sister was the matron of honour, while her unmarried cousin was a bridesmaid. (A married chief attendant.)
Bridesmaid (n): any female attendant to the bride, but not the chief one.
- There were three bridesmaids, with her best friend as the maid-of-honour. (Other attendants besides the chief.)
Synonyms
- Chief bridesmaid: the primary attendant to the bride.
- Principal attendant: the most senior female helper at a wedding.
Related Idioms
- No direct idioms: The term "maid-of-honour" is specific to wedding and court contexts and does not commonly appear in idiomatic expressions.
Phrasal Verbs
- No phrasal verbs: "Maid-of-honour" is a noun phrase and does not combine with verbs to form phrasal verbs.