servant
One who serves
A servant is someone employed to perform duties in another person's household, such as cooking, cleaning, or attending to personal needs.
The term carries connotations of a bygone era when domestic service was more common and hierarchical.
In broader use, servant describes anyone who serves others, whether literally or figuratively: public servants work for the government, and civil servants administer its functions.
The word often implies subordination or dedication to another's will: a servant to her ambitions.
Chief domestic servant
- maidHousehold cleaning worker
- housekeeperDomestic cleaning professional
- valetPersonal servant or parker
- nannyHired child caretaker
cook · cleaner · gardener · chauffeur · caretaker · footman · housemaid · parlormaid
One who seats guests
- guideLeader or instruction book
- conciergeGuest services attendant
- valetPersonal servant or parker
- escortOne who accompanies another
aide · page · squire · cupbearer · chamberlain · equerry · lady-in-waiting · handmaiden
Deep, loyal commitment
- faithfulnessDevoted loyalty maintained
- allegianceLoyalty owed to authority
- fidelityLoyalty or exactness
- steadfastnessFirm loyal dedication
obedience · fealty · trustworthiness · dependability · duty · dedication · honor · sacrifice
Religious leader or serve
- deaconJunior clergy member
- acolyteClergy's ceremonial assistant
- clergyOrdained religious officials collectively
- missionaryReligious outreach worker
pastor · devotee · worshipper · disciple · apostle · steward · vessel · calling
Person of lower rank
- assistantOne who aids another
- deputyAuthorized substitute or assistant
- apprenticeLearner bound to employer
- minionServile subordinate
lackey · flunky · vassal · disciple · follower · henchman · hireling · peon
Authority-sanctioned person or status
- bureaucratGovernment administrative official
- clerkOffice record-keeper
- administratorPerson who manages operations
- civilMinimally polite
diplomat · envoy · officer · functionary · representative · government · state · crown
butler
Chief domestic servant
- maidHousehold cleaning worker
- housekeeperDomestic cleaning professional
- valetPersonal servant or parker
nanny · cook · cleaner · gardener · chauffeur · caretaker · footman · housemaid · parlormaid · laundress
usher
One who seats guests
escort · aide · page · squire · cupbearer · chamberlain · equerry · lady-in-waiting · handmaiden · courtier
devotion
Deep, loyal commitment
- faithfulnessDevoted loyalty maintained
- allegianceLoyalty owed to authority
- fidelityLoyalty or exactness
steadfastness · obedience · fealty · trustworthiness · dependability · duty · dedication · honor · sacrifice · deference
minister
Religious leader or serve
- deaconJunior clergy member
- acolyteClergy's ceremonial assistant
- clergyOrdained religious officials collectively
missionary · pastor · devotee · worshipper · disciple · apostle · steward · vessel · calling · vocation
underling
Person of lower rank
- assistantOne who aids another
- deputyAuthorized substitute or assistant
- apprenticeLearner bound to employer
minion · lackey · flunky · vassal · disciple · follower · henchman · hireling · peon · drudge
official
Authority-sanctioned person or status
- bureaucratGovernment administrative official
- clerkOffice record-keeper
- administratorPerson who manages operations
civil · diplomat · envoy · officer · functionary · representative · government · state · crown · municipal
- Arabian NightsAladdin, Scheherazade, Ali Baba, Arabian Nights, Sinbad
- castle staffchamberlain, chambermaid, butler, guard, handmaiden
- historical rolesking, queen, emperor, knight, peasant
- household staffmaid, butler, housekeeper, cook, nanny
- Medieval fictioncastle, manor house, battlefield, tavern, coronation
- old occupationsblacksmith, carpenter, miller, farmer, shepherd
servantsovereign
Supreme in power
freeman · independent · self-employed · proprietor · owner
- civil servantGovernment administration employee
- public servantGovernment worker serving citizens
- indentured servantContract-bound unpaid laborer
- servants' quartersHousing for domestic employees
- loyal servantTrustworthy person in service
- domestic servantsPaid home workers