English

househelp

From house + help.

Formed from house + help

Proto-Germanic *hūsą

Proto-West Germanic *hūs

Old English hūs ‘dwelling’

Middle English hous ‘house’

English house

Proto-Indo-European *ḱelb- ‘to help’

…

Proto-Germanic *helpō ‘help, aid’

Proto-West Germanic *helpu

Old English help ‘help, aid, assistance’

Middle English help

English help

Today it means

noun A servant employed to perform household tasks.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / househelp