1. A female servant or maidservant, especially in ancient Rome.
Usage: historical; often used in classical or academic contexts
2. Something that is subordinate or auxiliary to something else; a helper or aid.
Usage: formal; often used in philosophical or theological writing

Examples

• In ancient Rome, an ancilla had few legal rights and served at the will of her master.
• The scholar treated philosophy as an ancilla to theology, viewing it as a supporting discipline.
• Historical records mention the ancilla who managed the household's daily affairs.
• Medieval theologians sometimes described reason as an ancilla to faith.
• The ancilla performed domestic tasks essential to the functioning of the estate.