damsel

damsel
damsel late 12c., from O.Fr. dameisele "woman of noble birth" (Mod.Fr. demoiselle "young lady"), modified (by association with dame) from earlier donsele, from Gallo-Romance *domnicella, dim. of L. domina "lady" (see DAME (Cf. dame)). Archaic until revived by romantic poets, along with 16c.-17c. variant form damozel.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Damsel — Dam sel (d[a^]m z[e^]l), n. [OE. damosel, damesel, damisel, damsel, fr. OF. damoisele, damisele, gentlewoman, F. demoiselle young lady; cf. OF. damoisel young nobleman, F. damoiseau; fr. LL. domicella, dominicella, fem., domicellus, dominicellus …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • damsel — [n] maiden colleen, lady, lass, lassie, miss, virgin, woman, young girl, young woman; concepts 414,415 …   New thesaurus

  • damsel — ► NOUN archaic or literary ▪ a young unmarried woman. ORIGIN Old French dameisele, from Latin domina mistress …   English terms dictionary

  • damsel — [dam′zəl] n. [damesele < OFr dameisele < VL * dominicella, dim. of L domina: see DAME] Now Literary a girl; maiden …   English World dictionary

  • damsel —    A damsel was originally a young unmarried lady of noble birth, but soon after the introduction of the word from French it appears to have taken on the general meaning of ‘young woman’, ‘a country lass’. In French the word demoiselle was… …   A dictionary of epithets and terms of address

  • damsel — UK [ˈdæmz(ə)l] / US noun [countable] Word forms damsel : singular damsel plural damsels an old word for a young woman who is not married • a damsel in distress …   English dictionary

  • damsel — [[t]dæ̱mz(ə)l[/t]] damsels N COUNT A damsel is a young, unmarried woman. [LITERARY, OLD FASHIONED] He keeps coming to the aid of this damsel in distress. Syn: maiden …   English dictionary

  • damsel — dam|sel [ˈdæmzəl] n old use [Date: 1200 1300; : Old French; Origin: dameisele, from Latin domina lady of high rank ] 1.) a young woman who is not married 2.) damsel in distress a young woman who needs help or protection used humorously …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • damsel — dam|sel [ dæmzl ] noun count an old word for a young woman who is not married a damsel in distress HUMOROUS a woman who is in trouble and needs help …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • damsel — noun (C) 1 old use a young woman who is not married 2 damsel in distress humorous a young woman who needs help or protection …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

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