dame

noun

ˈdām 

1

: a woman of rank, station, or authority: such as

a

archaic : the mistress of a household

b

: the wife or daughter of a lord

c

: a female member of an order of knighthood

—used as a title prefixed to the given name

2

a

informal : an elderly woman : matron

b

US slang, old-fashioned : woman

a classy dame

Synonyms

• dowager
• grande dame
• matriarch
• matron

Examples of dame in a Sentence

She was made a dame the year before she died.

as the grand dames of local society, they determined which charities received support

Recent Examples on the Web

Meanwhile the grand-old dame of Georgian cinema Lana Gogoberidze, recipient of the 2024 PÖFF Lifetime Achievement, voiced her concern for her country under Russian influence. —Annika Pham, Variety, 24 Nov. 2024

Smith was made a dame in 1990 by Queen Elizabeth II. —Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2024

A week before, legendary makeup dame Pat McGrath presented fashion’s most viral beauty look in history: Maison Margiela Couture’s porcelain dolls. —India Espy-Jones, Essence, 5 Nov. 2024

The Marbella Club, a Leading Hotel of the World member, is one of those European grand dame hotels that has been a beachfront favorite of Brits for years and is only just now starting to get recognized by Americans as a worthy destination on par with Amalfi Coast and Mykonos. —Devorah Lev-Tov, Travel + Leisure, 25 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin domina, feminine of dominus master; akin to Latin domus house — more at dome

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing dame

• dame school
• dame's rocket
• grande dame

Kids Definition

dame

noun

ˈdām 

: a woman of rank, station, or authority: as

a

archaic : the mistress of a household

b

: the wife or daughter of a lord

c

: a female member of an order of knighthood

—used as a title before a given name

Etymology

Middle English dame "a woman of rank or authority, lady," from early French dame (same meaning), from Latin domina "mistress, lady," feminine form of dominus "master, owner" — related to damsel, dominate, don entry 2, madam, madonna, prima donna