grande dame

noun

plural grandes dames ˈgrän-ˈdäm(z) How to pronounce grande dame (audio) also grande dames ˈgrän-ˈdäm(z) How to pronounce grande dame (audio)
1
: a usually elderly woman of great prestige or ability
2

Examples of grande dame in a Sentence

the city's grandes dames still hold considerable sway in its cultural life
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.
Or try Hacienda Puerta Campeche, a grande dame hotel recently taken over by Six Senses Resorts & Spas. Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024 The 62-villa resort designed by Yabu Pushelberg is a sophisticated modern offshoot of the city’s grande dame, just 20 minutes north. Katie Lockhart, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2024 While the facade of the stately building drawing inspiration from the grande dame Ritz Paris is unchanged, the interiors have been reimagined with opulence, and in true Nemacolin fashion, lots of whimsy. Katie Chang, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024 At the Black Cow coffee shop in downtown Croton, McDonald sips an iced matcha latte and considers the Roses who have come before her, a litany of Broadway’s one-name grandes dames: Ethel, Angela, Tyne, Bernadette, Patti. Christopher Barnard, Vogue, 3 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for grande dame 

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, great lady

First Known Use

1775, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of grande dame was in 1775

Dictionary Entries Near grande dame

Cite this Entry

“Grande dame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grande%20dame. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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