manservant of a samurai (Edo period)
Historical term for a low-ranking male servant employed by a samurai household during the Edo period. Not used in modern contexts except in historical descriptions or period dramas.
In period dramas, scenes often show a manservant walking while carrying his master's sword.
The exact derivation is uncertain. The kanji 折 (fold/bend) and 助 (help) are conventionally associated with the meaning, but the historical origin of the reading おりすけ is unclear.