A woman hired to do cleaning or scrubbing work in homes or buildings; a charwoman.
From char (work at cleaning, from Old English cerran) plus lady; a British English term for a female domestic worker or cleaner.
The term 'charlady' reveals class divisions in language—women doing the exact same work as men were called 'charwomen' or 'charladies' rather than simply 'workers,' marking them by gender and domestic service.
The term 'charlady' (cleaning woman) became gendered through post-WWII occupational segregation in Britain, where domestic labor was systematically assigned to women and undervalued economically and socially.
Use 'cleaner' or 'cleaning professional' to describe the role rather than gendering it. Gender-neutral terminology recognizes the work itself rather than associating it with a particular gender.
["cleaner","cleaning professional","domestic worker"]
Women in cleaning professions built essential service infrastructure often without recognition; modern usage should honor the skill and labor involved.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.