A male servant or attendant employed to assist with bathing or who works at a bathhouse, particularly in South Asian contexts.
Compound of 'bath' (Old English 'bæð') and 'man' (Old English 'mann'). This occupational term is particularly used in Indian English to describe a domestic servant responsible for bathing duties.
In British colonial India, a bathman was an essential household servant whose job was to heat water and manage the entire bathing process—no hot tap water meant someone had to do this job full-time!
'-man' suffix defaults to male agent for service roles. In colonial contexts (Indian bath attendant), reinforced masculinity of labor categories.
Use 'bath attendant' or 'bathhouse attendant' to encompass all genders.
["bath attendant","bathhouse attendant","bath steward"]
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