parlor-maid
The parlor-maid carefully arranges fresh flowers in a vase on the mantelpiece.
Definition
- Noun:
- A female domestic servant: "parlor-maid" refers to a woman employed in a household to perform duties related to the parlor (a formal sitting room), such as cleaning, serving tea, or attending to guests. This role was common in large, wealthy households, especially in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The parlor-maid entered the room quietly to refresh the tea service. (The female servant attended to guests in the formal sitting room.)
- In Victorian novels, the parlor-maid often plays a minor but essential role in household management. (The servant's duties are depicted in literature.)
Advanced Usage
- Historical Context: The term "parlor-maid" is largely historical and is now rarely used, as domestic service roles have evolved or become less common. It specifically denotes a servant focused on the parlor, distinct from other maids (e.g., scullery-maid, house-maid).
Variants and Related Words
Parlour-maid (British variant spelling): Same meaning as "parlor-maid."
- The parlour-maid was responsible for keeping the drawing-room tidy. (British spelling of the same role.)
Maid (n): a general term for a female domestic servant.
- The maid cleaned the entire house. (A broader term for a female household worker.)
Synonyms
- Domestic servant: a person employed to perform household duties.
- Lady's maid: a female servant who attends to a lady's personal needs, though this role is more specialized than a parlor-maid.
- Housemaid: a female servant who does general housework, though not specifically focused on the parlor.
Related Idioms
- No direct idioms: The word "parlor-maid" does not appear in common idiomatic expressions, but it may be used in historical or literary contexts to evoke a specific social setting.