maid

A maid is a person employed to perform household tasks for another individual or household. The term is most often used for women, with housemaid commonly used to distinguish duties such as cleaning and laundry from broader roles like caregiving. Duties can include cleaning rooms, washing clothes, ironing, cooking, laundry, shopping, and sometimes caring for children or the elderly. Employment can be on a live-in or live-out basis, and maids may work full-time or part-time, with varying schedules.

Historically, maids were a common feature of affluent households in Europe and colonial societies. The term has become less common in some places, replaced by housekeeper or domestic worker; in others, maid remains standard. In many countries, domestic workers are migrant laborers who live with employers, often under specific immigration arrangements. The scope of work varies by region and employer, from cleaning and maintenance to personal care.

Training is typically informal and on-the-job. Legal protections for maids vary widely; many jurisdictions regulate domestic work under general labor laws, while others have specific frameworks or limited protections. International standards, such as ILO conventions on domestic workers, call for fair wages, reasonable working hours, rest days, and access to social protection. Issues can include wage theft, long hours, or restrictions on freedom of movement, particularly for migrant workers.

In popular culture, maids appear as archetypes in literature, film, and animation; in some regions, specialized establishments such as maid cafés have become cultural phenomena. In contemporary use, the term is often supplanted by housekeeper or care worker where the work includes broader responsibilities.