mademoiselle

noun

ma·​de·​moi·​selle ˌmad-mwə-ˈzel 

ˌma-də-,

-mə-ˈzel,

 sometimes  mam-ˈzel

plural mademoiselles ˌmad-mwə-ˈzelz 

ˌma-də-,

-mə-ˈzelz

or mesdemoiselles ˌmād-mwə-ˈzel 

ˌmā-də-,

-mə-ˈzel

1

: an unmarried French girl or woman

—used as a title equivalent to Miss for an unmarried woman not of English-speaking nationality

2

: a French governess

3

: silver perch sense a

Word History

Etymology

Middle English madamoiselle, from Middle French, from Old French ma damoisele, literally, my (young) lady

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

mademoiselle

noun

ma·​de·​moi·​selle ˌmad-(ə-)mə-ˈzel 

-mwə-ˈzel;

mam-ˈzel

plural mademoiselles -ˈzelz  or mesdemoiselles ˌmād-(ə-)mə-ˈzel 

-mwə-ˈzel

—used by or to French-speaking people as a title equivalent to Miss