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
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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 100 years, Agatha Christie has reigned supreme as the grand dame of mystery. 
Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 16 Sep. 2022 Newton-John's husband John Easterling, announced her death Monday on her social media channels, using her dame title. Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 9 Aug. 2022 The innovative initiative – which is being launched with a press conference on Saturday at the Locarno Film Festival – is the brainchild of Nadia Dresti, the Locarno fest’s grand dame, who recently joined the PalaCinema board. Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 6 Aug. 2022 But so far, the hotel grand dame has been largely absent from the proceedings. Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 21 July 2022 Along the 70-foot-long bed, a wash of harmonious hues, grew tall purple-bearded irises, frilly light-blue dame’s rocket, silky maroon poppies and the stately spires of blue-jacket lupines. Bart Ziegler, WSJ, 13 July 2022 During haute couture week, the Ritz Paris—the city’s grand dame hotel that perches upon Palace Vendôme—is the majestic meeting place for the fashion world for everything from power lunches to post-show recaps (with nightcaps) at Bar Hemingway. Elise Taylor, Vogue, 6 July 2022 Agatha Christie is a category unto herself, the grand dame, the fount from which so much mystery writing springs. Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2022 The grand dame hotel of Capri is undoubtedly the Hotel Quisisana. Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 17 June 2022 See More
Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 16 Sep. 2022 Newton-John's husband John Easterling, announced her death Monday on her social media channels, using her dame title. Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 9 Aug. 2022 The innovative initiative – which is being launched with a press conference on Saturday at the Locarno Film Festival – is the brainchild of Nadia Dresti, the Locarno fest’s grand dame, who recently joined the PalaCinema board. Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 6 Aug. 2022 But so far, the hotel grand dame has been largely absent from the proceedings. Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 21 July 2022 Along the 70-foot-long bed, a wash of harmonious hues, grew tall purple-bearded irises, frilly light-blue dame’s rocket, silky maroon poppies and the stately spires of blue-jacket lupines. Bart Ziegler, WSJ, 13 July 2022 During haute couture week, the Ritz Paris—the city’s grand dame hotel that perches upon Palace Vendôme—is the majestic meeting place for the fashion world for everything from power lunches to post-show recaps (with nightcaps) at Bar Hemingway. Elise Taylor, Vogue, 6 July 2022 Agatha Christie is a category unto herself, the grand dame, the fount from which so much mystery writing springs. Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2022 The grand dame hotel of Capri is undoubtedly the Hotel Quisisana. Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 17 June 2022 See More 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
Kids Definition
dame
noun
ˈdām
: a woman of high rank or social position
dame
noun
1
as in dowager
a dignified usually elderly woman of some rank or authority as the grand dames of local society, they determined which charities received support Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- dowager
- matron
- mother
- mistress
- mamma
- grande dame
- matriarch
- grandam
- grandame
- mama
- mammy
- momma
- ma
- headmistress
- mom
- materfamilias
2
as in lady
a woman of high birth or social position the lords and dames of the shire eagerly awaited the royal visit Synonyms & Similar Words
- lady
- countess
- queen
- duchess
- gentlewoman
- matron
- madam
- baroness
- milady
- noblewoman
- mistress
- princess
- dowager
- peeress
- marchioness
- viscountess
- marquise
- ladyship
- marchesa
- matriarch