dame

[ deym ]
/ deɪm /

noun

Origin of dame

1175–1225; Middle English < Old French < Latin domina, feminine of dominus lord, master

usage note for dame

Dame is sometimes perceived as insulting when used to refer generally to a woman, unless it is a woman of rank or advanced age.

Example sentences from the Web for dame

British Dictionary definitions for dame (1 of 2)

dame
/ (deɪm) /

noun

(formerly) a woman of rank or dignity; lady
a nun who has taken the vows of her order, esp a Benedictine
archaic, mainly British a matronly or elderly woman
slang, mainly US and Canadian a woman
Also called: pantomime dame British the role of a comic old woman in a pantomime, usually played by a man

Word Origin for dame

C13: from Old French, from Latin domina lady, mistress of a household

British Dictionary definitions for dame (2 of 2)

Dame
/ (deɪm) /

noun (in Britain)

the title of a woman who has been awarded the Order of the British Empire or any of certain other orders of chivalry
the legal title of the wife or widow of a knight or baronet, placed before her name Dame Judith Compare Lady