Magdalene

noun

Mag·​da·​lene ˈmag-də-ˌlēn How to pronounce Magdalene (audio)
variants or less commonly Magdalen or magdalene or magdalen
plural Magadelenes also ; Magdalens or ; magdelenes also ; magdalens
1
old-fashioned : a woman who engages in performing sex acts and especially sexual intercourse in exchange for pay
2
dated : a house of refuge or reformatory for women who have engaged in performing sex acts and especially sexual intercourse in exchange for pay

Examples of Magdalene in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
At Houghton Hall, Dame Magdalene’s sculptures do not just sit on tabletops or in niches or atop a harpsichord. Mitchell Owens, Architectural Digest, 2 Aug. 2024 David Eugene Matthews Age: 75 County of crime: Jefferson Time on death row: 41 years Matthews was convicted of murdering his estranged wife and mother-in-law, Mary Matthews and Magdalene Cruse, on June 29, 1981 in Louisville. Rachel Smith, The Courier-Journal, 26 July 2024 This crime connects to the trauma in her past: as a teenager she was sent to one of Ireland’s notorious Magdalene Laundries to conceal a pregnancy. Vogue, 19 July 2024 June 24, 2024 at 5:45 a.m. EDT Listen 3 min Share Comment Save Magdalene Taylor writes the Many Such Cases Substack newsletter, where a version of this essay initially appeared. Magdalene Taylor, Washington Post, 24 June 2024 The legacy of Ireland’s Magdalene laundries and mother and baby homes — in which women and girls were made to labor without pay, or even surrender their children, often under the direction of nuns — is the subject of two new cinematic productions. Amanda Fortini, New York Times, 16 May 2024 The show sets viewers up for crescendos of humor and mystery, including a scattering of real-world details — the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, hints tied to Ireland’s Magdalene asylums. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Mary Magdalen or Magdalene woman healed by Jesus of evil spirits (Luke 8:2), considered identical with a reformed prostitute (Luke 7:36–50)

First Known Use

1697, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Magdalene was in 1697

Dictionary Entries Near Magdalene

Cite this Entry

“Magdalene.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Magdalene. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

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