a char
/ə tʃɑːr/
noun
Origin
Old English
cierr — turn, occasion, or time
Overview
Meaning Now
- A person employed to do domestic work such as cleaning.
- A session of cleaning or domestic chores.
Language path
Middle English → English
Earliest form
cher
Earliest period
14. yüzyıl
Journey
The term originated from the Old English word 'cierr', meaning a turn or a specific time allotted for a task. Over time, it evolved to refer to specific household duties, then to the person performing those duties (as in 'charwoman'). The profession was common in the UK and Ireland during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Evolution
- Old English
cierr
“a turn, space of time”
Original meaning related to the turning of a task.
- Middle English
cher
“a job, task, or errand”
- Early Modern English
char
“domestic task”
- Modern English
a char
“a charwoman or cleaning person”
Shortened from charwoman.
Connections
Word parts
char
root
domestic chore
Related across languages
Dutch
keer
turn, occasion
German
Kehr
turn, return
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Related to a char
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.