maidservant

/ˈmeɪdsɜːvənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmeɪdsɜːrvənt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈmād-ˌsər-vənt/ (ame, mw)

maidservant — noun

1. a woman who is paid to live and work in someone else's home, doing cleaning, coo

1.名詞B2
釋義

a woman who is paid to live and work in someone else's home, doing cleaning, cooking, and other everyday tasks

例句

Edith worked as a maidservant for the Finch family, cleaning their large house every morning.

countable noun with employer specification

The maidservant carried a tray of tea up the narrow stairs to the bedrooms.

typical activity: serving

同義詞
  • maid

    shorter, more common modern term; can refer to a hotel cleaner as well as a private-home worker

  • housekeeper

    often implies responsibility for managing a household, not just cleaning; more respected role

  • domestic worker

    modern, neutral, formal term that covers all household employees regardless of gender

  • servant

    broader term that includes both male and female workers; can sound old-fashioned too

反義詞
  • employer

    the person who hires and pays a maidservant

  • master

    historical term for the male head of a household who employed servants

文法句型

countable noun — a/an + maidservant

work as a maidservant

employ/hire a maidservant

用法筆記

This word is considered old-fashioned in modern English. The shorter form 'maid' is more common, and 'domestic worker' or 'housekeeper' are the preferred neutral terms today.

常見錯誤

❌The maidservant of the hotel changed our sheets.
✅The maid at the hotel changed our sheets.
💡In modern hotels, workers are called 'maid' or 'housekeeper', not 'maidservant'.