parlour-maid
Noun: A "parlour-maid" is a female domestic servant who works in a private household, primarily responsible for serving meals, attending to guests in the parlour (a formal sitting room), and performing other light household duties. This role was common in wealthy British households during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
- (The female servant performed formal duties for visitors.)
- (A typical literary character representing this domestic role.)
- (Her job was to assist with hosting and table service.)
"Parlour-maid’s uniform": a specific dress code, typically a black dress with a white apron and cap, worn by parlour-maids.
- The parlour-maid wore a crisp white apron over her black uniform. (The outfit was a standard part of her job.)
"Parlour-maid’s pantry": a small room near the dining room where the parlour-maid prepared and stored serving items.
- She kept the silverware polished in the parlour-maid’s pantry. (A dedicated space for her duties.)
- Parlour (n): a formal sitting room in a private house, used for entertaining guests.
- The family received visitors in the parlour. (The room where the parlour-maid worked.)
- Maid (n): a female domestic servant.
- The maid cleaned the bedrooms each morning. (A general term for female household staff.)
- Parlour-maid is a compound word; do not confuse it with "parlour" or "maid" alone.
- Housemaid: a female servant who performs general household chores (broader in duties than a parlour-maid).
- Lady’s maid: a servant who attends specifically to a female employer’s personal needs (more specialized).
- Waitress: a woman who serves food, but typically in a public restaurant, not a private home.
- "No parlour-maid": a phrase used to indicate that someone is not a servant or subordinate.
- I am not your parlour-maid; please clean up after yourself. (A rebuke meaning "I am not here to serve you.")
- "To act as a parlour-maid": to perform the duties of a parlour-maid temporarily or in a similar role.
- During the party, she acted as a parlour-maid, serving drinks and clearing dishes. (She took on the role for the event.)
The term "parlour-maid" is largely obsolete today, as domestic service in private homes has declined. It is primarily encountered in historical fiction, period dramas, and discussions of social class in the 19th and early 20th centuries.