housegirls
Live-in female servants
Housegirls is the plural of housegirl, a female domestic servant who lives in her employer's home.
The term is most common in African and South Asian English, where it often refers to young women employed for cleaning, cooking, and childcare: The housegirls shared a room behind the kitchen.
In Western contexts, the word sounds dated or colonial.
Hired help at residence
- maidHousehold cleaning worker
- servantOne employed to serve
- housekeeperDomestic cleaning professional
- employerOne who employs others
salary · wages · contract · duties · agency · recruitment · staffing · live-in
Hired child caretaker
- babysitterHired child caretaker
- au pairForeign live-in childcare worker
- childminderProfessional youth caretaker
- nursemaidDomestic child caretaker
nurturing · supervision · feeding · bathing · school runs · bedtime · playtime · companionship
Colonial-era Indian nursemaid
- amahAsian domestic servant
- domestic servicePaid household labor
- postcolonialAfter foreign rule ends
- exploitationSelfish use of others
migration · remittances · Global South · labor migration · vulnerability · class disparity
Formal address for women
- mistressIllicit female lover
- employerOne who employs others
- subordinationLower position in hierarchy
- servitudeCompulsory labor under masters
obedience · uniform · apron · quarters · instructions · supervision · deference · formality
domestic worker
Hired help at residence
- maidHousehold cleaning worker
- servantOne employed to serve
- housekeeperDomestic cleaning professional
employer · salary · wages · contract · duties · agency · recruitment · staffing · live-in · workforce
nanny
Hired child caretaker
- babysitterHired child caretaker
- au pairForeign live-in childcare worker
- childminderProfessional youth caretaker
nursemaid · nurturing · supervision · feeding · bathing · school runs · bedtime · playtime · companionship · eldercare
ayah
Colonial-era Indian nursemaid
- amahAsian domestic servant
- domestic servicePaid household labor
- postcolonialAfter foreign rule ends
exploitation · migration · remittances · Global South · labor migration · vulnerability · class disparity
madam
Formal address for women
- mistressIllicit female lover
- employerOne who employs others
- subordinationLower position in hierarchy
servitude · obedience · uniform · apron · quarters · instructions · supervision · deference · formality · bells
cleaning
Removing dirt and mess
eldercare · housekeeping · tending · chores · errands · ironing · scrubbing · tidying · meal preparation · washing
housegirlshouseboys
Male domestic servants
manservants · valets · footmen · butlers · menservants
housegirlsemployers
Those who hire staff
masters · mistresses · madams · householders · homeowners
housegirlsbutlers
Head household servants
head housekeeper · household manager · majordomo · steward · estate manager