Definition

1. Noun:
   • A male servant: A man who is employed to perform domestic duties or personal services for another person or household.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The wealthy gentleman traveled with his manservant to attend to his needs.
  • In the historical drama, the lord's manservant was responsible for his wardrobe and correspondence.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in historical or formal contexts to specify the gender of a domestic servant, contrasting with "maidservant."
• It can imply a more personal or valet-like role rather than general household labor.

Variants and Related Words

• Servant (n): A person who performs duties for others, especially a person employed in a house on domestic duties or as a personal attendant. (This is the gender-neutral root term.)
• Valet (n): A man's personal male attendant, responsible for his clothes and appearance. (A specific, often more senior, type of manservant.)
• Butler (n): The chief male servant of a household, usually in charge of other employees. (A specific, supervisory type of manservant.)

Synonyms

• Valet
• Attendant
• Footman (a specific type of male servant in a formal household)

Antonyms

• Maidservant (n): A female servant.
• Mistress (n): A woman in a position of authority, control, or ownership.

Notes on Usage

• The word "manservant" is considered somewhat dated or formal in modern English. In contemporary usage, gender-neutral terms like "assistant," "attendant," or simply "servant" are often preferred.
• Its use frequently evokes settings of the past, aristocracy, or very formal service arrangements.

Noun

1. a man servant