English Explanatory Dictionary

damsel

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A young woman (of noble birth).
  2. A girl; a maiden (without sexual experience).
  3. A young woman who is not married.
  4. An unmarried lady-in-waiting.
  5. A young, attractive woman.
  6. A chattering damsel (component of a mill).

Pronunciation

/ˈdæm.zəl/ [ˈdɛəm.zɫ̩] LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vininn126-damsel.wav [ˈdɛːm.zɫ̩]

Word forms

damsel damsels damoisel damoiselle damosel damozel

Etymology

From Middle English dameisele, from Old French damoisele, from Vulgar Latin *domnicella, a diminutive from Classical Latin domina (“mistress, lady”), from dominus, from *demh₂-. Doublet of demoiselle, doncella, and donzella.

Derived words

damsel bug damselfish damselfly damselhood damsel in distress elf-damsel riverdamsel
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