Word
valet
US/væˈɫeɪ/
UK/vˈæleɪ/
Definitions
01car parking attendant
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun American English
n. a person at a hotel, restaurant, or airport who parks your car for you.
n. an employee at a commercial establishment who takes responsibility for parking and retrieving patrons' vehicles.
“We left our keys with the valet at the front of the hotel.”
“The upscale restaurant offers complimentary valet service to ensure that guests do not have to search for parking in the crowded downtown district.”
Usage
Often used as a modifier, as in 'valet parking'.
Synonyms
02personal male servant
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal
n. a man's personal servant who takes care of his clothes and helps him dress.
n. a male professional attendant responsible for the clothing and personal grooming of his employer.
“In the old movie, the wealthy man asked his valet to prepare his suit.”
“The historical drama accurately depicted the role of the valet, who was expected to maintain his employer's wardrobe with meticulous care.”
Teaching tip
This sense is mostly found in historical contexts or literature; in modern life, the car-parking sense is much more common.
Synonyms
03to clean a car
B2 · Upper Intermediate British English
v. to clean the inside and outside of a car very thoroughly.
v. to perform a comprehensive cleaning and detailing of a motor vehicle.
“I need to have my car valeted before I try to sell it.”
“The dealership offers a service to valet your vehicle, ensuring the upholstery is steam-cleaned and the exterior is polished to a high shine.”
Usage
In British English, this is a common transitive verb for professional car cleaning.
04to park a car for someone
B2 · Upper Intermediate American English
v. to leave your car with an attendant so they can park it for you.
v. to utilize a valet service for the parking of a vehicle.
“We decided to valet the car because we were running late for the show.”
“Rather than circling the block for twenty minutes, the couple chose to valet their car at the theater entrance.”
Real-World Examples
“He served as a White House military valet to the president in his first term, and later joined him as an assistant at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida after he left office.” Etymology
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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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