A butler or steward, typically one with responsibilities beyond that of a normal servant and who supervises the affairs of a whole household. It has been used to denote the head steward in the household of a sovereign or nobleman, but those are getting rather scarce these days.

The Italian equivalent of the word is maggiordomo, the Spanish is mayordomo. Both stem from medieval latin maior domus, which translates roughly to chief of the house.

Ma`jor-do"mo (?), n. [Sp. mayordomo, or It. maggiordomo; both fr. LL. majordomus; L. major greater + domus house.]

A man who has authority to act, within certain limits, as master of the house; a steward; also, a chief minister or officer.

 

© Webster 1913.

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