chamberlain

Meaning

1. A senior royal official in charge of superintending the arrangement of domestic affairs and often charged with receiving and paying out money kept in the royal chamber, especially in the United Kingdom and in Denmark.
2. A high officer of state, as currently with the papal camerlengo, but normally now a mainly honorary title.
3. (obsolete) An upper servant of an inn.

Synonyms

steward

chief steward

courtier

housekeeper

minister

official

quartermaster

saver

saving

treasurer

waiter

palatine

butler

castle keeper

Translations

chambellan

ciambellano

Kämmerer

Kammerherr

kamerheer

chambelán

gentilhombre de cámara

camérier

cubicularius

gentilhome de cambra

camerarius

🧗

camareiro

camarlenc

kâhya

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈt͡ʃeɪmbɚlɪn/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: chamberlein

Cognate with Old High German: chamarling

In summary

From Middle English chamberlein, chaumberlein, chaumberleyn, from Anglo-Norman chamberlenc, Old French chamberlayn, chamberlenc (“chamberlain”), from Frankish *kamarling (“chamberlain”), equivalent to *kamer (“chamber”) + *-ling (“-ling”). Cognate with Old High German chamarling (“chamberlain”). Compare also Late Latin camerārius. More at chamber, -ling.