ENGLISH
REFERENCE

valet

n. countable
C1 Advanced US //væˈɫeɪ// UK //vˈæleɪ// valet

n. a person who parks your car for you at a hotel or restaurant. It can also mean a personal servant who takes care of a man's clothes and belongings.

n. a person employed to perform personal services, such as parking a vehicle for guests or attending to the clothing and needs of an employer.


SIMPLE

The valet parked our car right in front of the hotel.

CONTEXTUAL

Upon arriving at the gala, we handed our keys to the valet and walked straight to the entrance.

COMPLEX

In historical dramas, the valet is often depicted as the most trusted confidant of the protagonist, managing everything from his wardrobe to his private correspondence.

Synonyms
Origin

Borrowed from Middle French valet, from Old French vaslet, from Medieval Latin vassellittus, diminutive of Late Latin vassallus (“manservant, domestic, retainer”), from vassus (“servant”), from Gaulish wassos (“young man, squire”), from Proto-Celtic *wastos (“servant”) (compare Old Irish foss and Welsh gwas). Doublet of varlet.

Usage

Commonly used in modern American English to refer to parking services; in British English, it often retains its historical sense of a personal servant.

© 2026 English Reference