valet de chambre
1
9.9
- noun
- /væˈleɪ də ˈʃɑːmbr/
- Archaic
:
valet de chambre
- Many wealthy families employ a valet de chambre.
Examples
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Many noble households kept a valet de chambre to ensure personal service and discretion.
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As a valet de chambre, he was entrusted with the gentleman's wardrobe and daily affairs.
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The duke's valet de chambre announced his master's arrival with quiet efficiency.
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The valet de chambre prepared his clothes for the day.
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The valet de chambre served his employer breakfast in bed each morning.
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As a valet de chambre, he was responsible for maintaining the personal affairs of the duke.
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The valet de chambre arranged the prince's clothing and prepared him for the day.
Synonyms
422
1.0
A person who works in someone's home doing jobs like cooking and cleaning
136
2.8
A person who serves or helps people in a public place
39
6.0
A person who helps someone dress and care for their clothes
11
7.4
A man who works in someone's house doing jobs like cleaning and helping with meals
8
7.0
A person who works for a family in the home, often as a servant
1
2.3
A person who works in a home doing cleaning, cooking and other daily tasks
1
9.9
A person who helps important guests at formal events
1
9.1
A man who helps a rich man dress and looks after his personal needs
1
9.4
A person who helps someone dress and bathe every day
A man who works in a home to serve and help people
A servant who attends an important person, often in the past
Surface Forms
Morphology
valet + de + chambre
The meaning 'a personal attendant' is transparently built from 'valet' (male attendant) + 'de chambre' (of the chamber/room), so 'valet of the chamber' directly yields the defined role. Although the phrase is a French borrowing and may look foreign, the X of Y compositional pattern is clear and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent meanings can infer the MWE.
Etymology
Valet de chambre comes from French: valet means 'servant' and chambre means 'room'. In rich houses and at court, a man in this job waited in the master's private room to care for clothes and help with daily needs, so the phrase came to mean 'a personal attendant' today.