Dorothea Dix

The rose is the flower and handmaiden of love - the lily, her fair associate, is the emblem of beauty and purity.

American Activist

Money is a handmaiden, if thou knowest how to use it; a mistress, if thou knowest not.

Language is the mother of thought, not its handmaiden.

Originally implied a female servant's role in a historical or traditional setting, often subordinate.

Often used in literature to depict a close, personal relationship between a female servant and her mistress.

May sound old-fashioned and is less used in modern times, except in historical contexts.

It's commonly used in a metaphorical sense to relate two concepts where one supports the other.

Unlike the first meaning, this use does not refer to a person but to an abstract concept or thing.

Emphasizes the supportive nature of one aspect, not its independence or primacy.