valet

1 of 2

noun

va·​let ˈva-lət  ˈva-(ˌ)lā 

va-ˈlā

1

a

: an employee (as of a hotel or a public facility) who performs personal services for customers

b

: a man's male servant who performs personal services (such as taking care of clothing)

2

: a device (such as a rack or tray) for holding clothing or personal effects

valet

2 of 2

verb

valeted; valeting; valets

transitive verb

: to serve as a valet

Examples of valet in a Sentence

Verb

She runs her own valeting business.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Street parking is available with complimentary valet during business hours. —Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026

Offset was shot during a fight between a group of men with him and another group in the valet area of the Oculus entrance of the hotel, according to an arrest report for another rapper, Lil Tjay, born Tione Jayden Merritt. —David Goodhue april 14, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2026

Verb

Guests can valet their cars, get snacks and drinks in between rounds and check in their phones (a prized service since no cellphones are allowed on the course). —Robert Frank, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026

Staffers—from front desk employees to valet—never missed a beat and were full of helpful information both about the hotel, its offerings, and the surrounding area. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English vadlet, valet, varlet "male servant, groom, knight's attendant," borrowed from Anglo-French, "young man of noble birth serving a lord, boy, servant," going back to Gallo-Romance *vassellittus, diminutive of *vassellus, diminutive of early Medieval Latin vassus "serf, servant, vassal" — more at vassal

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Verb

1840, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing valet

• valet de chambre
• valet parking
• valet service

Rhymes for valet

• airway
• allay
• archway
• array
• ashtray
• astray
• aue
• away
• ballet
• belay
• beltway
• beret

Kids Definition

valet

noun

va·​let

ˈval-ā, 

va-ˈlā, 

ˈval-ət

1

: a male servant who takes care of a man's clothes and does personal services

2

: a hotel employee who does personal services for guests