lady-in-waiting
UK[ˌleɪ.di.ɪn.ˈweɪ.tɪŋ]US[ˌleɪ.di.ɪn.ˈweɪ.t̬ɪŋ]
n
A woman who attends a queen, princess, or other high-ranking woman.
Etymology
The term is a compound of three English words: 'lady', 'in', and 'waiting'. 'Lady' originates from Old English hlǣfdīge, meaning "loaf-kneader" or "mistress of a household". 'Waiting' derives from the Old North French waitier, meaning "to watch, guard". The phrase "in waiting" historically described a state of being in attendance or service. Thus, the literal construction "a lady in waiting" evolved from a descriptive phrase into a formal title for a female personal attendant in a royal or noble household, specifying her role of being in a state of attendance upon her mistress.
Analysis
This is a fixed compound noun phrase. It is not productively formed from separable morphemes in modern English but is a lexicalized unit.
Examples
The young countess served as a lady-in-waiting to the queen for a decade.
Her duties as a lady-in-waiting included managing correspondence and attending social events.
The princess was accompanied by two of her ladies-in-waiting on the official tour.