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maiden definition

maiden (mād′'n)

noun

  1. Now Rare
    1. a girl or young unmarried woman
    2. a virgin
  2. a race horse that has never won a race
  3. a device like the guillotine, formerly used in Scotland for beheading criminals
  4. Cricket an over in which no runs are scored
    in full, maiden over

Etymology: ME < OE mægden, dim. < base of mægeth, maid, virgin, akin to Goth magaths, OHG magad < IE base *maghu-, youngster, unmarried > OIr macc, son, Mac-

adjective

  1. of, characteristic of, or suitable for a maiden
    1. unmarried
    2. virgin: now used only of older women
  3. inexperienced; untried; unused; new; fresh
  4. first or earliest a maiden speech, a maiden voyage
    1. never having won a race a maiden horse
    2. for such horses a maiden race

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

maiden Synonyms

maiden

modif.

earliest, beginning, virgin; see first 1, virgin 2.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

maiden Usage Examples

Adjective modifier

  • fair: Face dogged enemies, raid unsuspecting villages, woo fair maidens, avoid capture or dig for buried treasure.

Noun used with modifier

  • iron: Iron maidens The Penn State researchers recruited 113 women, aged 18 to 35.

Adjective modifier

  • innocent: In films the brilliant hero, the victor or the innocent maiden is seen charging upon a white steed.

Modifies a noun

  • voyage: The Titanic Parrot The Titanic, on her maiden voyage, just set sail from the shores of England.

Noun used with modifier

  • wicket: A wicket maiden to Gough, who has gone for just one run in his first three overs.
maiden usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

maiden quotes

I wyll that my son manhede take For reson wyll that there be threö A man, a madyn, and a tre. Man for man, tre for tre, Madyn for madyn; thus shall it be.

-Anonymous

Oh, is there not one maiden here Whose homely face and bad complexion Have caused all hopes to disappear Of ever winning man's affection?

-Gilbert, Sir W(illiam) S(chwenck)

With rue my heart is laden For golden friends I had, For manya rose-lipt maiden And many a lightfoot lad.

-Housman, A(lfred) E(dward)

maiden quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"maiden." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/maiden>

APA Style

maiden. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/maiden

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