noun
high-ranking maid in the inner palace of a shogun or daimyo (Edo period)
Historical term for a senior female attendant serving in the private quarters (奥) of a shogun or daimyo during the Edo period. Rare in modern usage; encountered mainly in historical contexts or period dramas.
See also: 奥女中
大奥では、奥上臈が将軍の身の回りの世話をしていた。
In the Ōoku, the high-ranking maids attended to the shogun's personal needs.