handmaid

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A maid that waits at hand; a female servant or attendant.
  2. A moth of the species Dysauxes ancilla.

Pronunciation

/ˈhændˌmeɪd/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-handmaid.wav

Word forms

handmaid handmaids handmaiden handmayd

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English handemayde, hand-maide, handmaide, handmayd, hand mayde, hand-mayde, haundmaid, hondemayde, hondmaide, hond-mayde. By surface analysis, compound of hand + maid, the first component in the sense of "ready at hand".

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