maiden

[meyd-n]

noun

1. a girl or young unmarried woman; maid.

2. Archaic.,  a female virgin.

3. Maiden, (in Neopaganism) the first form of the Goddess, represented as a young woman and said to symbolize youth and the first stages of life or growth.

4. a horse that has never won a race.

5. a race open only to maiden horses.

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

7. Cricket.,  maiden over.

adjective

1. Archaic.,  of, relating to, or befitting a girl or unmarried woman.

   her maiden virtues.

2. Archaic.,  (of a woman, especially one past middle age) unmarried.

   my maiden aunt.

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

4. made, tried, appearing, etc., for the first time.

   a maiden flight.

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

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

7. untried, as a knight, soldier, or weapon.

maiden

/ ˈmeɪdən /

noun

1. archaic

   1. a young unmarried girl, esp when a virgin

   2. ( as modifier )

      a maiden blush

2. horse racing

   1. a horse that has never won a race

   2. ( as modifier )

      a maiden race

3. cricket See maiden over

4. Also called: clothes maiden. dialect,  a frame on which clothes are hung to dry; clothes horse

5. (modifier) of or relating to an older unmarried woman

   a maiden aunt

6. (modifier) of or involving an initial experience or attempt

   a maiden voyage

   maiden speech

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

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

Other Word Forms

• maidenish adjective
• maiden-like adjective
• maidenship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of maiden¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English mægden, equivalent to mægd, mæg(e)th (cognate with German Magd, Gothic magaths ) + -en -en ⁵

Word History and Origins

Origin of maiden¹

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

Example Sentences

It was all about giving themselves a chance to go hard late on and thanks to a maiden international fifty - Bangladesh's quickest in a women's ODI - from the talented Shorna, they did just that.

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She conceded just 17 runs in her 10 overs, three of which were maidens and into the bargain accounted for four wickets.

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Ghosh might not have quite have been able to match Gardner and Mooney, as she narrowly missed out on a maiden international century, but the innings seemed certain to prove every bit as important.

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Takaichi is a staunch conservative who has long opposed legislation allowing married women to keep their maiden names, insisting it undermines tradition.

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Takaichi is a staunch conservative who's long opposed legislation allowing women to keep their maiden names after marriage, saying it is against tradition.

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Related Words

• inaugural 
• introductory