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
• 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

While its heritage remains intact, contemporary dining, wellness, and a growing emphasis on sustainability signal how even a grand dame can move with the times. —Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025

So the grand dame got on the telephone and called the department store. —Louis J. Esterhazy, Footwear News, 7 Sep. 2025

Fast forward to the present, however, and the grand dame has faded. —Leila Latif, IndieWire, 31 Aug. 2025

Another grand Historic District dame, The Pamlico House is a Colonial Revival home tucked away on a quiet residential street just blocks from main drag. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 26 Aug. 2025

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

Rhymes for dame

• aim
• blame
• brame
• came
• claim
• fame
• flame
• frame
• game
• haim
• lame
• maim

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