maid of honour
C1Formal / Culinary
Definition
Meaning
A bridesmaid, typically the chief unmarried female attendant to the bride at a wedding.
1. A small, sweet dessert tartlet or cheesecake. 2. (Historical) An unmarried noblewoman attending a queen or princess at court.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The primary meaning is relational (wedding role). The dessert meaning is a British culinary term. The historical court meaning is archaic. The spelling 'maid of honour' is standard; 'maid-of-honour' (hyphenated) is a variant.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'maid of honour' refers primarily to the wedding role and to a specific almond-flavoured tartlet/dessert. In the US, it refers almost exclusively to the chief bridesmaid. The dessert is not a common term in the US.
Connotations
UK: Can evoke a quaint, traditional wedding or a specific bakery item. US: Strongly and solely associated with weddings.
Frequency
High frequency in wedding contexts in both regions. The dessert term is moderately frequent in UK culinary contexts, unknown in US general usage.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] acted as maid of honour for [Bride].[Bride] chose [Person] as her maid of honour.The maid of honour gave a speech.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “play second fiddle (to the bride)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not applicable.
Academic
Used in historical/social studies discussing courtly roles.
Everyday
Common in wedding planning and social conversations.
Technical
Used in culinary contexts (UK) for a specific pastry.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My sister was the maid of honour.
- The maid of honour helped the bride get ready for the ceremony.
- After being asked to be maid of honour, she started planning the hen party immediately.
- The historical role of a maid of honour at the Tudor court involved both ceremony and considerable political influence.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
A MAID (unmarried woman) who does the HONOUR of standing with the bride.
Conceptual Metaphor
ATTENDANT IS A SUPPORTING PILLAR; CEREMONIAL ROLE IS A TITLE.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'горничная чести'. Use 'подружка невесты' (bridesmaid) or 'главная подружка невесты'. The dessert has no direct equivalent.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 'maid' with 'made'. Using 'honor' without 'u' in British context. Using for a married woman (should be 'matron of honour').
Practice
Quiz
In a British bakery, what might a 'maid of honour' be?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A 'maid of honour' is unmarried; a 'matron of honour' is married.
Both are correct depending on region: 'honour' is British English, 'honor' is American English. The phrase typically follows the regional spelling convention.
Traditionally, no. The role is female-specific. A male in a similar role might be called a 'bridesman' or 'man of honour', though these are non-traditional.
Primarily, yes. Its other main meaning is a British dessert. An archaic historical meaning refers to a court attendant.