as in housekeeper
a female domestic servant
a large estate that once had many maidservants
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Recent Examples of maidservant
Count Almaviva seeks to exercise droit du seigneur over his wife’s maidservant, Susanna, who is betrothed to his valet, Figaro.
—
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 30 July 2025
This helps explain why the maidservant was subjected to multiple inspections, with a succession of witnesses rooting around beneath Hall’s skirts and petticoats for firm proof.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2024
In 1627, a professional lace-maker named Thomasine Hall boarded a ship in England and arrived at Jamestown, Virginia, to become a maidservant in the household of a man named John Tyos.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2024
If the apparent maidservant was actually a man committing fornication that might lead to another servant’s falling pregnant, then Hall was a materially destabilizing influence in the community.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2024
But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates.
—Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 25 Aug. 2023
Alfonso enlists the sisters’ maidservant, Despina, to aid in the plot.
—Jeremy Yudkin, BostonGlobe.com, 17 July 2023
On the other hand, in the 17th century a maidservant was able to thwart the unwelcome advances of the diarist Samuel Pepys by grabbing a pin from her pocket and threatening to stab him with it, according to his own account.
—Amanda Foreman, WSJ, 29 Sep. 2022
Priya, a maidservant working first for and then alongside Malini, comes into her own as a free woman and worker of ancient power.
—Liz Braswell, WSJ, 29 Sep. 2022
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 30 July 2025
This helps explain why the maidservant was subjected to multiple inspections, with a succession of witnesses rooting around beneath Hall’s skirts and petticoats for firm proof.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2024
In 1627, a professional lace-maker named Thomasine Hall boarded a ship in England and arrived at Jamestown, Virginia, to become a maidservant in the household of a man named John Tyos.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2024
If the apparent maidservant was actually a man committing fornication that might lead to another servant’s falling pregnant, then Hall was a materially destabilizing influence in the community.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2024
But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates.
—Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 25 Aug. 2023
Alfonso enlists the sisters’ maidservant, Despina, to aid in the plot.
—Jeremy Yudkin, BostonGlobe.com, 17 July 2023
On the other hand, in the 17th century a maidservant was able to thwart the unwelcome advances of the diarist Samuel Pepys by grabbing a pin from her pocket and threatening to stab him with it, according to his own account.
—Amanda Foreman, WSJ, 29 Sep. 2022
Priya, a maidservant working first for and then alongside Malini, comes into her own as a free woman and worker of ancient power.
—Liz Braswell, WSJ, 29 Sep. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maidservant
Noun
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From a nanny to help with her kids four days a week who makes their dinner, lunches, and does laundry, a housekeeper who comes once a week to clean and do ironing, and Hirsch's mom who also watches the children once a week and makes dinner for everyone.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Aug. 2025
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Guests rent out the full estate, which includes a dedicated majordomo, private chef, and housekeepers.—
Rebecca Ann Hughes,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
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His mother worked as a maid to support him and his three sisters.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
30 July 2025
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She has been depicted in numerous film, television and theater adaptations, most recently in Lifetime’s The Lizzie Borden Chronicles starring Christina Ricci as Borden, and the 2018 feature film Lizzie starring Chloë Sevigny as the title character and Kristen Stewart as a maid.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
28 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Maidservant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maidservant. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025.
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