lady's maid

thumb|The Annunciation by Bartolomé Esteban Perez Murillo|Murillo, 1655–1660, [[Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg]]

A handmaiden (nowadays less commonly handmaid or maidservant) is a personal maid or female servant. The term is also used metaphorically for something whose primary role is to serve or assist. Depending on culture or historical period, a handmaiden may be of enslaved status or may be simply an employee. The terms handmaiden and handmaid are synonyms.