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• maidenhead
  maidenhead

  noun

  the hymen.
• Maidenhead
  Maidenhead

  noun

  a town in S England, in Windsor and Maidenhead unitary authority, Berkshire, on the River Thames. Pop: 58 848 (2001)

maidenhead

American  

[meyd-n-hed] / ˈmeɪd nˌhɛd /

noun

1. the hymen.

2. maidenhood; virginity.

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maidenhead ¹ British  

/ ˈmeɪdənˌhɛd /

noun

1. a nontechnical word for the hymen

2. virginity; maidenhood

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Maidenhead ² British  

/ ˈmeɪdənˌhɛd /

noun

1. a town in S England, in Windsor and Maidenhead unitary authority, Berkshire, on the River Thames. Pop: 58 848 (2001)

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Etymology

Origin of maidenhead

First recorded in 1200–50, maidenhead is from the Middle English word maidenhed. See maiden, -head

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

maidenhead Maidenhead

But hey, I grew up in maidenhead, so what do I know?

From The Guardian ● Jun. 9, 2014

A rendezvous, a home to fly unto, If that the Devil and mischance look big Upon the maidenhead of our affairs.

From King Henry IV, Part 1 by William Shakespeare

With true-fac'd passion Of modest maidenhead I could adorn me, And to your question make a sober cour'sey, And with close-clipp'd civility be silent; Or else say "No, forsooth," or "Ay, forsooth."

From A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 7 by Various

For, hadde God commanded maidenhead, Then had he damned* wedding out of dread;** *condemned **doubt And certes, if there were no seed y-sow,* *sown Virginity then whereof should it grow?

From The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems by D. Laing Purves

What I am and what I would are as secret as maidenhead: to your ears, divinity; to any other's, profanation.

From Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare

Another woman, Jo from Leeds, contacted BBC News following coverage of the Maidenhead attack.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

Kyran Smith had gone to the reception of the Maidenhead branch of the hotel chain in the early hours in December 2022 and said he was the woman's boyfriend.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

The company said it hoped Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead council would approve the project in autumn.

From BBC ● May 9, 2026

Kyran Smith had been at the same party as the woman during a night out in December 2022 when they and others retired to their rooms at the Maidenhead branch of the hotel chain.

From BBC ● Mar. 5, 2026

The following Sunday, Sir Charles and Lady Henry again invited us to luncheon, this time to their country home near Maidenhead, to meet Sir Rufus and Lady Isaacs.

From Under Four Administrations From Cleveland to Taft by Oscar S. Straus