chamberlain

noun cham·ber·lain \ ˈchām-bər-lən \

Definition of chamberlain

1 : an attendant on a sovereign or lord in his bedchamber

2 a : a chief officer in the household of a king or nobleman

b : treasurer

3 : an often honorary papal attendant; specifically : a priest having a rank of honor below domestic prelate

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Recent Examples of chamberlain from the Web

Forced to reinvent himself, von Steuben spent 11 years as court chamberlain in Hohenzollern-Hechingen, a tiny German principality.

— erick trickey, Smithsonian, "The Prussian Nobleman Who Helped Save the American Revolution," 26 Apr. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'chamberlain.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of chamberlain

Middle English, from Anglo-French chamberlein, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German chamarling chamberlain, from chamara chamber, from Late Latin camera

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

in the meaning defined at sense 2a

See Words from the same year