handmaiden
noun
hand·maid·en
ˈhan(d)-ˌmā-dᵊn 
variants
or less commonly handmaid
1
: a personal maid or female servant
2
: something whose essential function is to serve or assist
criticism is not the enemy of art but rather its handmaiden—
Gary Michael
Gary MichaelSynonyms
Examples of handmaiden in a Sentence
the princess was intensely shy, and allowed only her handmaiden to enter her chambers
Recent Examples on the Web
Just for having been a handmaiden in that extraordinary outcome, hyperglobalization deserves—if not three—at least two cheers.
—Dev Patel, Foreign Affairs, 12 June 2024
In an 8-7 decision, the court rejected their attempt to remake the country’s judiciary into a handmaiden of the government.
—Lloyd Green, New York Daily News, 3 Jan. 2024
There, she is herded with some cloistered young women, handmaidens whose sole function is to bear children for Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme), the Citadel’s leader.
—Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 15 May 2024
Across the room, facing Helen, her handmaiden and Paris — and a despondent-looking dog — is Cassandra, who could see the future, along with Apollo, who had cursed her so her prophecies would not be believed.
—Elisabetta Povoledo, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for handmaiden 
Dev Patel, Foreign Affairs, 12 June 2024
In an 8-7 decision, the court rejected their attempt to remake the country’s judiciary into a handmaiden of the government.
—Lloyd Green, New York Daily News, 3 Jan. 2024
There, she is herded with some cloistered young women, handmaidens whose sole function is to bear children for Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme), the Citadel’s leader.
—Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 15 May 2024
Across the room, facing Helen, her handmaiden and Paris — and a despondent-looking dog — is Cassandra, who could see the future, along with Apollo, who had cursed her so her prophecies would not be believed.
—Elisabetta Povoledo, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for handmaiden
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'handmaiden.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near handmaiden
Cite this Entry
“Handmaiden.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/handmaiden. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
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