Majordomo


A majordomo is a person who speaks, makes arrangements, or takes charge for another. Typically, this is the highest person of a household staff, a head servant who acts on behalf of the owner of a large or significant residence. Synonyms include castellan, concierge, chamberlain, seneschal, mayor of the palace, curopalate, maître d'hôtel, head butler, and steward.
A majordomo may also, more informally, be someone who oversees the day-to-day responsibilities of a business enterprise. Historically, many institutions and governments – monasteries, cathedrals and cities – as well as noble and royal houses also had the post of majordomo, who usually was in charge of finances.
Additionally, the Hispanos of New Mexico use this term to refer to the manager of an acequia system for a town or valley.

Etymology

The origin is from maior domūs, and it was borrowed into English from Spanish mayordomo or obsolete Italian maiordomo. Also found as French majordome, modern Italian maggiordomo, Portuguese and Galician mordomo, in Romanian and Catalan majordom.

Examples in fiction

In Les Miserables, Major Domo oversees proceedings at the wedding of Marius and Cosette, in the stage version, introducing M. and Mme. Thenardier to the wedding waltzers.
Walter Slezak as Maurice Clavell in the comedy film Come September not only plays the role of Rock Hudson's majordomo, but also takes advantage of his employer's absence to turn the luxurious Italian villa into resort hotel.
In the U.S. television sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies, the Clampetts go to England and are introduced to the majordomo of the castle they bought and believe that is his rank in the army and his last name. When he tries to correct them by saying his last name is Faversham, they think Faversham is an English greeting instead.
In the 1981 TV series Dynasty and the 2017 rebooted version, Joseph Anders is the majordomo of the Carrington Manor.
Michael Carter portrayed the twi'lek Bib Fortuna, Jabba the Hutt's majordomo, in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi.
Fortuna screens visitors, handles low-level bargaining, as well as carrying out Jabba's wishes in the court.
The character Jonathan Higgins served as the majordomo of the Robin's Nest estate in the Magnum, P.I. series. For the 2018 reboot, Higgins was re-written as a woman, named Juliet Higgins where she is portrayed by Perdita Weeks.
In the 1991 Disney animated film Beauty and the Beast, the character of Cogsworth has the position of majordomo in the castle, alongside Lumiere, who is the castle's Maître d'hôtel.
In the 1994 film The Lion King the character Zazu serves as majordomo to Mufasa and later his son Simba after he became king.
In a play on the word, the 2018 film Isle of Dogs includes a character named Major-Domo who serves as a majordomo.
In the 2018 Japanese animated film ', the Saiyan King Vegeta III has his own Majordomo, a Saiyan whom appears with King Vegeta in the Royal Palace for the House of Vegeta at the beginning of the film.
In the video game universe of Warcraft, Majordomo Executus is the chief officer of the elemental Fire Lord Ragnaros, residing in the Molten Core. Upon Ragnaros' return, former Archdruid Fandral Staghelm assumes the role as his majordomo.
In the video game ', the game's protagonist Geralt of Rivia acquires a large estate in the expansion. The estate's affairs are overseen by the majordomo Barnabas-Basil Foulty, a reference to Basil Fawlty from Fawlty Towers.
The character Summerset serves as Roarke's majordomo throughout the In Death series by J. D. Robb.
In Frank Herbert's God Emperor of Dune, the character Moneo acts as the protagonist Leto II's majordomo, considered second in command to the God Emperor.