maiden

American  

[mayd-n] / ˈmeɪd n /

noun

• maidens
  plural

1. a girl or young unmarried woman; maid.

2. Archaic. a female virgin.

3. Maiden, (in Neopaganism) the first form of the Goddess, represented as a young woman and said to symbolize youth and the first stages of life or growth.

4. a horse that has never won a race.

5. a race open only to maiden horses.

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

7. Cricket. maiden over.

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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.

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

4. made, tried, appearing, etc., for the first time.

   a maiden flight.

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

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

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

maiden British  

/ ˈmeɪdən /

noun

1. archaic

   1. a young unmarried girl, esp when a virgin

   2. ( as modifier )

      a maiden blush

2. horse racing

   1. a horse that has never won a race

   2. ( as modifier )

      a maiden race

3. cricket See maiden over

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

5. (modifier) of or relating to an older unmarried woman

   a maiden aunt

6. (modifier) of or involving an initial experience or attempt

   a maiden voyage

   maiden speech

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

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

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• maidenship
  noun
• maiden-like
  adjective
• maidenish
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• maidens
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of maiden

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English mægden, equivalent to mægd, mæg(e)th (cognate with German Magd, Gothic magaths ) + -en -en ⁵

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Explanation

Maiden is an old-fashioned term for a girl or an unmarried young woman. If you like reading fantasy novels, you've probably encountered plenty of knights and maidens — and maybe even a dragon or two. These days, you will hardly ever see this word used to mean an unmarried woman, except maybe humorously. However, you will see it used when discussing the maiden voyage of a ship or plane: in both cases, the word indicates youth and inexperience. Also, the maiden name of a married woman is her name before marriage, a name many women keep after marriage too. There is also a meaning of maiden in the baseball-like British game of cricket.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

maiden maidens

Rocket Lab once again is delaying the maiden launch of its Neutron rocket, dealing a major blow to investors.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026

California's state bar confirmed to US media that it had no record of Zacharia holding a license under either her married or maiden name.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

On our maiden voyage in French Polynesia, we sailed to the lagoon of an island called Huahine.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

Tran said passing the act would severely limit the ability of U.S. citizens to vote, especially women whose maiden names may differ from married names on government paperwork.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

The goddess went forthwith to the hut where the maiden lived and challenged her to a contest.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

Their breakthrough arrives with a performance of Temple Maiden, a dance tracing the love and envy of two maidens who turn into serpents.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 25, 2026

She conceded just 17 runs in her 10 overs, three of which were maidens and into the bargain accounted for four wickets.

From Barron's ● Oct. 11, 2025

As Ahmed put together a spell either side of lunch, he bowled England's first maidens and had Shreyas Iyer caught in the deep in the leg side for 35.

From BBC ● Jan. 26, 2024

Drawing from the region’s deep vein of Celtic mythology, Jenkin summons the ghosts of lost fishermen and long-gone female mine workers, known as bal maidens, stoking an atmosphere thick with ancient anguish.

From New York Times ● Mar. 30, 2023

“Would you like to go outside? Every time the musicians start up, I’m reminded of all the maidens with whom I should be dancing.”

From "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine

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