Magdalene
Americannoun
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the. Mary Magdalene.
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(lowercase) a reformed prostitute.
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Also Magdalen a female given name: from a Hebrew word meaning “woman of Magdala.”
noun
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The penitent Magdalene was a popular subject in Artemisia’s day, and several versions of the painting exist.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
I wasn’t offered the part of Mary Magdalene, which I wanted, but of Pontius Pilate.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026
Davis also readily cites her mother, Mary Magdalene Duplantier, as one of her main inspirations.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 9, 2025
In Northern Ireland, there were also three Magdalene Laundries – in effect, workhouses where women and girls were made to carry out demanding duties.
From BBC • Aug. 30, 2025
Cologne and dusting powder for Magdalene called Lena; a compact for Corinthians; a five-pound box of chocolates for his mother.
From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
