doméstica

Doméstica is the feminine form of the Portuguese adjective doméstico, used to denote things that belong to the home or are related to household life. As an adjective, it appears in phrases such as animal doméstico (domestic animal) and objeto doméstico (household object). It can also function as a feminine noun to designate a woman employed to perform tasks in a private home, commonly called empregada doméstica.

Etymology: the term comes from Latin domesticus, derived from domus (home). The gendered forms in Portuguese reflect a pattern also found in other Romance languages, where adjectives and nouns shift shape to agree with gender.

Usage and social context: in Brazil and Portugal, the standard designation for a female domestic worker is empregada doméstica, while the male equivalent is empregado doméstico. This reflects a longstanding sector of paid work with country-specific labor protections, wages, and working conditions. In everyday language, doméstica also appears as an adjective to describe household-related activities, objects, and spaces, for example tarefas domésticas (domestic chores) and rotinas domésticas (household routines).

Notes: the term is primarily linguistic and social, with the adjective widely used across contexts and the noun form mainly encountered in labor and employment discussions.