noun
maid; handmaid
Refers to a female domestic servant, often in a historical or literary context. In modern usage, メイド is more common.
彼女は屋敷の小間使いとして働いていた。
She worked as a maid in the mansion.
Modern loanword for 'maid', more common in contemporary Japanese. 小間使い has a more traditional, historical feel.
Compound of 小間 (こま, 'small room' or 'odd jobs') and 使い (つかい, 'errand runner' or 'servant'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term traditionally referred to a maid who performed various small tasks around the house.