maiko means an apprentice geisha. It carries an Arena rating of 1444, earned across 13 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, maiko ranks #281 of 17,130 for Most Beautiful Words, #908 of 17,149 for Most Exacting Words, #1,153 of 17,126 for Most Elegant Words, #2,077 of 17,127 for Most Vivid Words.
Why “maiko” is a great word
A young woman in formal, traditional apprenticeship to become a geisha, undergoing years of rigorous training in the arts of dance, music, conversation, and hospitality within the cultural ecosystem of Kyoto. Borrowed from Japanese 舞妓 (maiko), from 舞 (mai, "dancing") + 子 (ko, "child"), literally meaning "dancing child." Unlike a "geisha," a fully realized artist and entertainer, or a "geiko," Kyoto's specific term for such an established professional, a maiko is expressly a creature of becoming, not being. She is the conspicuous flash of crimson from her trailing obi, the sound of geta clattering on Pontocho cobblestones in the twilight, and the precise, tremulous arc of a sleeve tracing an unfinished dance—a living, breathing promise of artistry yet to be fully unlocked.
Etymology
Borrowed from Japanese 舞妓 (maiko, literally “dancing child”).
noun
- An apprentice geisha.e.g.“It is our pleasure to introduce a new maiko.”
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- geisha 65% match — A Japanese female entertainer skilled in various arts such as tea ceremony, dancing, singing and calligraphy. vs maiko →
- mizuage 61% match — The coming-of-age ceremony of a maiko, an apprentice geisha, often associated with loss of virginity. vs maiko →
- oiran 54% match — A high-status courtesan in Japan. vs maiko →
- miko 53% match — A Shinto shrine maiden. vs maiko →
- maika 53% match — A woman's maternal village: the place where she grew up, especially as contrasted with her new home after marriage. vs maiko →
- mapiko 53% match — A traditional masked dance of the Makonde, associated with coming-of-age rituals. vs maiko →
- okiya 52% match — The lodging-house of a geisha. vs maiko →
- mousmé 52% match — A Japanese young woman or mistress. vs maiko →