Varlet

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈvɑːlət/

Definitions

1. A male servant or attendant of low social rank, or a dishonest and disreputable person
2. A man who works as a servant or an attendant typically in a lowly position ; a person known for deceitful or unethical behavior
3. An attendant or helper, usually male and of humble status ; an individual displaying untrustworthy or morally bad traits

Etymology: Varlet began as a near-twin of valet. Both come from the same Old French stock, "vadlet" and "vaslet", which meant a young man or attendant in a noble household, a servant learning his trade. English took the two forms separately, so they became what etymologists call doublets: one word kept the polite court sense and the other slid down the social ladder. The downward slide is the striking part. Where valet kept its respectable role as a personal attendant, varlet was used of servants of lower standing, and over the centuries it picked up the sense of a rascal or knave, a low fellow whose service could not be trusted. The Middle English form "varlet" and its variant "varlette" carried that wider range of meaning from the start, which is why the word ended up describing a dishonest, underhanded servant rather than a loyal one.

Synonyms: knave, rascal, rogue, scoundrel, fellow

Antonyms: gentleman, hero, noble, good person