Majordomo vs. Butler — What's the Difference?

A majordomo is a person who speaks, makes arrangements, or takes charge for another. Typically, this is the highest (major) person of a household (domūs or domicile) staff, a head servant who acts on behalf of the owner of a large or significant residence.

A butler is a person who works in a house serving and is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry.

The head servant or official in a royal Spanish or Italian household; later, any head servant in a wealthy household in a foreign country; a leading servant or butler.

The chief manservant of a house.

A manager of a hacienda, ranch or estate.

The head servant in a household who is usually in charge of food service, the care of silverware, and the deportment of the other servants.

Any overseer, organizer, person in command.

A manservant having charge of wines and liquors.

The chief male servant of a household who has charge of other employees, receives guests, directs the serving of meals, and performs various personal services.

A valet, a male personal attendant.

To buttle, to dispense wines or liquors; to take the place of a butler.

An officer in a king's or a nobleman's household, whose principal business it is to take charge of the liquors, plate, etc.; the head servant in a large house.

A manservant (usually the head servant of a household) who has charge of wines and the table