French word

valet

Pronunciation

IPA/valɛ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounservant

Example

Le valet a aidé le maître à s'habiller.

The servant helped his master get dressed.

Illustration for valet (servant)

More examples

Le valet de parking a garé la voiture près de l'entrée.

The parking attendant parked the car near the entrance.

Core concept

A personal attendant serves close to a master, while a similar male court figure occupies the card rank between ten and queen.

Common phrases

  • valet de parking

    parking attendant

Similar words

domestique: A household servant who handles domestic work and personal care.
majordome: A butler who manages household staff and serves the master of an estate.

Definition in French

Désigne un domestique chargé d'aider une personne pour l'habillement et les soins personnels ; en jeu de cartes, nom de la figure masculine placée entre le dix et la dame.

Word origin

The noun developed from Old French vaslet or varlet, a diminutive related to vassal and ultimately linked to Medieval Latin vassallus; this attendant figure became a card term.

Usage tips

  • In card names, valet is followed by de and the suit, as in valet de coeur, rather than by the English word jack.

Other meanings

  • jacknoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word