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

For devoted fans of Bridget Jones — the daffy dame at the center of both a popular series of novels and their attendant film adaptations — sequel mileage very much varies. —Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 12 Feb. 2025

Photo : Tiffany & Co. Jean Schlumberger by Tiffany Bird on a Rock Few designs once relegated to old society’s grand dame’s jewelry boxes have made such an astounding comeback as Tiffany’s Bird on a Rock. —Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 21 Jan. 2025

Grand Hotel Parker’s Naples’ historic grand dame occupies a privileged position on a hill in the elegant Chiaia neighborhood, with sweeping views of the Bay of Naples and Vesuvius in the distance. —Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 8 Dec. 2024

She was made a dame by Queen Elizabeth II in 2004, and worked for another decade in entertainment before retiring in 2014. —Ew Staff, EW.com, 24 Jan. 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

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