damsel

American  

[dam-zuhl] / ˈdæm zəl /

noun

Literary.

1. a young woman or girl; a maiden, originally one of gentle or noble birth.

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damsel British  

/ ˈdæmzəl /

noun

1. archaic a young unmarried woman; maiden

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Etymology

Origin of damsel

1150–1200; Middle English damisel < Anglo-French ( Old French damoisele ) < Vulgar Latin *dominicella, equivalent to Latin domin ( a ) lady ( dame ) + -i- -i- + -cella feminine diminutive suffix

Example Sentences

Jewson’s film is thankfully scrubbed of satanic panic, but still focuses on a damsel — or, in this case, damsels — in distress, attempting to escape the bizarre, clandestine ritual they’ve found themselves at the center of.

From Salon

Though set in Ghost Town with period garb, there are modern flourishes, such as tongue-in-cheek nods to the theme park’s attractions and a damsel in distress who ultimately proves to be anything but.

From Los Angeles Times

In Gran’s stories, damsels in distress were always trapped in towers.

From Literature

The idea that the sheriff is a gentle helper of damsels in distress, rather than some sort of code enforcer.

From Salon

See recent attempts by Disney to broaden the scope of its Marvel and Star Wars franchises, or Nintendo this month transforming its popular damsel in distress Princess Zelda into a hero.

From Los Angeles Times