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Housewife vs Housemaid - What's the difference?

housewife | housemaid |

As nouns the difference between housewife and housemaid

is that housewife is the wife of a householder; the mistress of a family; the female head of a household while housemaid is a female servant attached to the non-servant quarter part of the house. (as opposed to a scullery maid..

As verbs the difference between housewife and housemaid

is that housewife is alternative form of lang=en while housemaid is to be a housemaid.

housewife

English

Noun

(housewives)
  • The wife of a householder; the mistress of a family; the female head of a household.
  • A little case or bag for materials used in sewing, and for other articles of female work; – called also (hussy).
  • * 1852: Tom Taylor and Charles Reade, Masks and Faces Act II
  • Woffington's housewife , made by herself, homely to the eye, but holds everything in the world

    Hypernyms

    * homemaker

    Derived terms

    * housewifely * housewifery * housewifization

    housemaid

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A female servant attached to the non-servant quarter part of the house. (as opposed to a scullery maid.)
  • (derogatory) a housewife.
  • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To be a housemaid.
  • To wait on someone hand on foot, to watch them.