The role, position, or status of being a bridemaid or bridesmaid at a wedding.
Formed from 'bridemaid' with the suffix '-ship,' which turns nouns into abstract nouns representing a state, office, or quality (as in 'friendship,' 'leadership'). This pattern became productive in Middle English for creating titles and roles.
The suffix '-ship' is incredibly productive in English—we use it to create words for roles and relationships (friendship, kingship, membership)—and 'bridemaidship' shows how medieval speakers could easily generate new words to describe social positions by adding this versatile ending.
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