Plural of butler; male servants who manage other household servants and handle formal household duties.
From Old French 'bouteillier' (cup-bearer), from 'bouteille' (bottle). The role evolved from serving drinks to becoming the senior household male servant managing the entire house.
Butlers originally just poured drinks—their title literally meant 'bottle-person'—but they gradually became the most powerful servants in a house. It's a perfect example of how job titles can outlive their original meaning.
Historically a male-dominated service role; the term reflects institutional assumptions that formal household management was men's work.
Use 'household manager' or 'domestic manager' for inclusive reference to all genders.
["household manager","domestic manager","managerial staff"]
Women historically performed equivalent management roles in households but were not formally titled or recognized as such.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.