A senior household servant who manages the household, often in a Western-style mansion. Common in fiction and historical contexts.
Historical role; an official who managed affairs at a court or noble household. Not used for modern government positions.
deacon
Christian ecclesiastical title used in Anglican, Lutheran, and some other denominations. Not a common word outside religious contexts.
He hired a former soldier as his butler.
He served as the butler of the ducal household for thirty years.
In medieval courts, the steward oversaw the preparations for ceremonies.
He serves as a deacon in the church.
He has served as the butler of this mansion for many years.
A personal butler was assigned to the young lady.
召使い is a plain word for a personal servant of any rank, whereas 執事 refers to the head servant who oversees the household staff.
家令 is an older, more formal term for a household steward used mainly in historical or legal writing, while 執事 is the common modern word for the same role.
侍従 refers to a chamberlain attending an emperor or noble in a court setting, close to the historical 執事 sense but tied specifically to royal service.
From Middle Chinese 執事 (tsip dzriH, 'to manage affairs; steward'). The Japanese reading しつじ is the kan'on pronunciation. The word originally referred to an official who handled practical matters, later narrowing to a household steward or butler.