maid-in-waiting

noun

maid-in-wait·​ing ˈmād-ᵊn-ˈwā-tiŋ How to pronounce maid-in-waiting (audio)
plural maids-in-waiting ˈmādz-ᵊn-ˈwā-tiŋ How to pronounce maid-in-waiting (audio)
: a young woman of a queen's or princess's household appointed to attend her

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1900, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of maid-in-waiting was circa 1900

Dictionary Entries Near maid-in-waiting

Cite this Entry

“Maid-in-waiting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maid-in-waiting. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on maid-in-waiting

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!