What does majordomo mean?
A majordomo is a person who serves as the chief steward or manager of a household, particularly a large aristocratic or royal household. The role traditionally involved supervising servants, organizing domestic work, arranging meals, overseeing maintenance, and handling many of the practical details that kept a great house running. The word can also refer more broadly to someone responsible for managing an estate or comparable organization. Its formal and historical tone gives it a sense of authority and tradition, while contemporary uses often sound playful, especially when describing someone who manages a household with exceptional efficiency. The term is memorable because it combines the ideas of a “greater” or more important house with the person responsible for its management.
nounA majordomo is the chief steward or manager of a large household, responsible for its domestic affairs, staff, and sometimes the management of an estate. In modern usage, the term is also sometimes used humorously or figuratively for an exceptionally capable organizer or head of a household.
- The chief steward or manager of a large household, especially a noble or royal household, who oversaw servants and domestic affairs.
- A person responsible for the general management or administration of a household, estate, or similar organization.
"The majordomo greeted the guests and directed the servants according to the household's elaborate routine."
"The majordomo quietly reorganized the kitchens and assigned the servants for the evening's reception."
"In the novel, the majordomo was the indispensable link between the eccentric owner and the sprawling estate."
The standard English plural is majordomos.
"The majordomos of two great households exchanged formal invitations."
From the Italian words for “greater” and “house,” majordomo was literally the person who ran the greater house—the chief organizer of an aristocratic household.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of majordomo
The English word comes through French from Italian maggiore domo, a compound of maggiore, meaning “greater,” and domo, meaning “house.” These Italian forms ultimately draw on Latin maior, “greater,” and domus, “house,” the same broad Latin roots associated with major and the family of words such as dominate and domain. The term entered English in the early 17th century for the official who supervised a large noble household.
Related word forms
How majordomo is actually used
The word is formal, literary, or historical in its traditional sense. Modern usage is uncommon and may sound humorous or grandiose when applied to an ordinary household or workplace.