English Reference
noun

maid

n.
US /ˈmeɪd/ UK /mˈeɪd/ maid UK spelling maids

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    a person, usually a woman, whose job is to clean and tidy rooms in a house or a hotel.

    a female domestic servant or a person employed to perform cleaning and maintenance tasks in a private residence or hospitality setting.

    Simple

    The hotel maid brought fresh towels to our room every morning.

    In context

    The wealthy family employed a full-time maid to manage the daily upkeep of their sprawling country estate.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate LiteraryArchaic

    a young woman who is not married.

    a girl or an unmarried young woman; often used in historical or poetic contexts.

    Simple

    The old story tells of a fair maid who lived in a tower.

    In context

    In the ballad, the young maid waited by the shore for her lover's ship to return from the distant wars.


From Middle English mayde, maide, abbreviation of Middle English maiden from Old English mæġden (Old English mǣden). Ultimately from Proto-West Germanic magaþ, from Proto-Germanic magaþs (“girl, virgin”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin gem-pro *magaþs
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated