demoiselle

[ dem-wuh-zel, dem-uh-; French duh-mwa-zel ]

/ ˌdɛm wəˈzɛl, ˌdɛm ə-; French də mwaˈzɛl /

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noun, plural dem·oi·selles

[dem-wuh-zelz; French duh-mwa-zel]. /ˌdɛm wəˈzɛlz; French də mwaˈzɛl/.

an unmarried girl or young woman.

demoiselle crane.

a damselfly, especially of the genus Agrion.

damselfish.

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

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Origin of demoiselle

From French, dating back to 1760–70; see origin at damsel

Words nearby demoiselle

demographer, demographic, demographics, demographic timebomb, demography, demoiselle, demoiselle crane, de Moivre, de Moivre's theorem, de Molina, demolish

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use demoiselle in a sentence

Now, this Demoiselle Gautier, it appears she lived a bit free, if you'll excuse my saying so.
Camille (La Dame aux Camilias)|Alexandre Dumas, fils
Married to a Demoiselle Chiffreville, of a family of celebrated chemists.
Repertory Of The Comedie Humaine, Complete, A -- Z|Anatole Cerfberr and Jules Franois Christophe
Gertrude approached me, and said in a low tone: 'Did demoiselle remark that we only mounted five steps after leaving the court?'
Chicot the Jester|Alexandre Dumas, Pere
It has been said that D'Hugues was one, but the demoiselle's conduct for some time past renders that improbable.
Queens of the French Stage|H. Noel Williams

With the duck come demoiselle cranes, curlews, storks, and sandpipers of various species.
A Bird Calendar for Northern India|Douglas Dewar

British Dictionary definitions for demoiselle

demoiselle

/ (dəmwɑːˈzɛl) /

noun

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

a less common name for a damselfly

another name for damselfish

a literary word for damsel

Word Origin for demoiselle

C16: from French: young woman; see damsel

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