Meaning & use

maiden

noun·Advanced

A young woman, especially one who is unmarried, used mainly in older or literary English.

See it in a sentence

In the old tale, a brave maiden set off alone to rescue her village.

The poem describes a maiden waiting by the shore for her love to return.

A note on using this word

Maiden sounds old-fashioned or poetic in modern speech; as an adjective it commonly means 'first', as in maiden voyage.

Words with a similar meaning

young womandamsel

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. adjective

Being the first of its kind, especially a first attempt, journey, or speech.

The ship sank on its maiden voyage across the Atlantic.

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