demoiselle

American  

[dem-wuh-zel, dem-uh-, duh-mwa-zel] / ˌdɛm wəˈzɛl, ˌdɛm ə-, də mwaˈzɛl /

noun

PLURAL

demoiselles

1. an unmarried girl or young woman.

2. demoiselle crane.

3. a damselfly, especially of the genus Agrion.

4. damselfish.

5. Furniture.  a lady's wig stand of the 18th century, in the form of a pedestal table.

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demoiselle British  

/ dəmwɑːˈzɛl /

noun

1. Also called: demoiselle crane.   Numidian crane.  a small crane, Anthropoides virgo, of central Asia, N Africa, and SE Europe, having grey plumage with long black breast feathers and white ear tufts

2. a less common name for a damselfly

3. another name for damselfish

4. a literary word for damsel

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Etymology

Origin of demoiselle

From French, dating back to 1760–70; damsel

Example Sentences

SAT Assam Rhino Reserve special exhibition of two young rhinos and their native neighbors, Asian brown tortoises and demoiselle cranes, opening celebration festivities, keeper talks, family activities, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

From Seattle Times

The exhibit shows how we all can help endangered species, and includes some neighbors in the rhinos’ wild habitat, Asian brown tortoises and demoiselle cranes.

From Seattle Times

The zoo’s new reserve will showcase the greater one-horned rhinos, also known as Indian rhinos, Asian brown tortoises and demoiselle cranes.

From Washington Times

Assam Rhino Reserve will showcase the greater one-horned rhinos, Asian brown tortoises and demoiselle cranes.

From Seattle Times

One writer marvelled at Osage girls who attended the best boarding schools and wore sumptuous French clothing, as if “une très jolie demoiselle of the Paris boulevards had inadvertently strayed into this little reservation town.”

From The New Yorker