bridesmaid
/ˈbrʌɪdzmeɪd
/noun
1A girl or woman, usually one of several, who accompanies a bride on her wedding day: her sister asked her to be chief bridesmaid...
- The bride would be accompanied by several bridesmaids and the groom had one male, the best man, at his side.
- It is common for couples to have their own children present at their weddings, often as bridesmaids or pageboys.
- The bridesmaids and flower girl each had a single white lily fixed in their hair, to match the bride's bouquet.
2 informal A person who never attains a desire or goal.He was always a bridesmaid, he rarely ever got to drive the squad....
- The team was always significant, even if they were always bridesmaids.
- Its filled with wisdom and wit for the woman who feels like she is always a bridesmaid.
From the saying ‘always the bridesmaid and never the bride’
Origin
Late 18th century: alteration of earlier bridemaid.