maiden

[ meyd-n ]

/ ˈmeɪd n /

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See synonyms for: maiden / maidens on Thesaurus.com

noun

Archaic. a girl or young unmarried woman; maid.

Archaic. a female virgin.

a horse that has never won a race.

a race open only to maiden horses.

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

Cricket. maiden over.

adjective

Archaic. of, relating to, or befitting a girl or unmarried woman: her maiden virtues.

Archaic. (of a woman, especially one past middle age) unmarried: my maiden aunt.

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

made, tried, appearing, etc., for the first time: a maiden flight.

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

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

untried, as a knight, soldier, or weapon.

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Origin of maiden

First recorded before 1000; Middle English, from Old English mægden, equivalent to mægd, mæg(e)th (cognate with German Magd, Gothic magaths ) + -en -en⁵

OTHER WORDS FROM maiden

maid·en·ish, adjectivemaid·en·ship, noun

Words nearby maiden

maiasaura, maid, maida, maidan, Maidanek, maiden, Maiden Castle, maidenhair, maidenhair fern, maidenhair spleenwort, maidenhair-tree

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

How to use maiden in a sentence

So many areas that it involves inputting the maiden name of your maternal grandmother and, of course, the scary phone number request.
Top four contact page mistakes that cost you conversions|Grace P.|February 19, 2021|Search Engine Watch
The landing page of my personal website links to articles published under both bylines as well as articles published under my maiden name, Ruth Shalit.
Editor who worked on Ruth Shalit Barrett’s retracted Atlantic story is no longer with the magazine|Erik Wemple|January 30, 2021|Washington Post
If Munson was naked in them, well so were maidens in beloved paintings and sculptures.
For model and actress Audrey Munson, a long and tragic final chapter|John Kelly|January 13, 2021|Washington Post
The SN8′s maiden flight could have come as early as Friday, but the launch date slid repeatedly as observers read SpaceX’s plans in the tea leaves of local road closures and Federal Aviation Administration flight restrictions.
SpaceX’s Starship flies, belly flops, and bursts into flames|Charlie Wood|December 10, 2020|Popular-Science

She happily dropped her maiden name of Williams and changed her last name when they got married.
When your last name is Frankenstein and it’s Halloween|Kellie B. Gormly|October 30, 2020|Washington Post
People might be surprised that during that period “Maiden Voyage,” one of your most well-loved standards, began as a TV jingle.
Herbie Hancock Holds Forth|David Yaffe|November 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She was a fair maiden, a beautiful virgin born on a summer's day, married on a summer's day.
The Day the Fairytale Died|Marilyn Johnson|July 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She continued to go by the surname Wilhelm, but Bill took her maiden name as a tribute to her.
The Wind Beneath de Blasio’s Wings|Michael Daly|November 5, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The Fed lent Maiden Lane $28.82 billion, and JPMorgan lent Maiden Lane $1.15 billion.
Let’s All Stop Feeling Sorry for JPMorgan Chase Having to Pay Billions|Daniel Gross|October 21, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The Federal Reserve created Maiden Lane to smooth the way for the deal.
Let’s All Stop Feeling Sorry for JPMorgan Chase Having to Pay Billions|Daniel Gross|October 21, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The exile and the maiden, in short, fell in love with each other, and they mutually vowed never to be parted but by force.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
For forty years Anastatia Dodd had lived in maiden meditation fancy free.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
"Oh, but dear Mrs. Dodd, suppose she couldn't help it," said the artless maiden with a blush and a little sigh.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
A member of parliament took occasion to make his maiden speech, on a question respecting the execution of a particular statute.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun;|Various
Recall his threat when coughed down on the occasion of his maiden speech in the House of Commons.
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)

British Dictionary definitions for maiden

maiden

/ (ˈmeɪdən) /

noun

archaic, or literary

a young unmarried girl, esp when a virgin
(as modifier)a maiden blush

horse racing

a horse that has never won a race
(as modifier)a maiden race

cricket See maiden over

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

(modifier) of or relating to an older unmarried womana maiden aunt

(modifier) of or involving an initial experience or attempta maiden voyage; maiden speech

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

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

Derived forms of maiden

maidenish, adjectivemaiden-like, adjective

Word Origin for maiden

Old English mægden; related to Old High German magad, Old Norse mogr young man, Old Irish mug slave

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

maiden

Origin of maiden

OTHER WORDS FROM maiden

Words nearby maiden

Words related to maiden

How to use maiden in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for maiden

Derived forms of maiden

Word Origin for maiden