maiden

[ meyd-n ]
See synonyms for: maidenmaidens on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. Archaic. a girl or young unmarried woman; maid.

  2. Archaic. a female virgin.

  1. a horse that has never won a race.

  2. a race open only to maiden horses.

  3. an instrument resembling the guillotine, formerly used in Scotland for beheading criminals.

  4. Cricket. maiden over.

adjective
  1. Archaic. of, relating to, or befitting a girl or unmarried woman: her maiden virtues.

  2. Archaic. (of a woman, especially one past middle age) unmarried: my maiden aunt.

  1. (of a girl or woman) never having had sexual intercourse; virgin.

  2. made, tried, appearing, etc., for the first time: a maiden flight.

  3. (of a horse) never having won a race or a prize.

  4. (of a prize or a race) offered for or open only to maiden horses.

  5. untried, as a knight, soldier, or weapon.

Origin of maiden

1
First recorded before 1000; Middle English, from Old English mægden, equivalent to mægd, mæg(e)th (cognate with German Magd, Gothic magaths ) + -en -en5

Other words from maiden

  • maid·en·ish, adjective
  • maid·en·ship, noun

Words Nearby maiden

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use maiden in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for maiden

maiden

/ (ˈmeɪdən) /


noun
  1. archaic, or literary

    • a young unmarried girl, esp when a virgin

    • (as modifier): a maiden blush

  2. horse racing

    • a horse that has never won a race

    • (as modifier): a maiden race

  1. cricket See maiden over

  2. Also called: clothes maiden Northern English dialect a frame on which clothes are hung to dry; clothes horse

  3. (modifier) of or relating to an older unmarried woman: a maiden aunt

  4. (modifier) of or involving an initial experience or attempt: a maiden voyage; maiden speech

  5. (modifier) (of a person or thing) untried; unused

  6. (modifier) (of a place) never trodden, penetrated, or captured

Origin of maiden

1
Old English mægden; related to Old High German magad, Old Norse mogr young man, Old Irish mug slave

Derived forms of maiden

  • maidenish, adjective
  • maiden-like, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012