maiden

[meyd-n]

noun

1. a girl or young unmarried woman; maid.

2. Archaic.,  a female virgin.

3. Maiden, (in Neopaganism) the first form of the Goddess, represented as a young woman and said to symbolize youth and the first stages of life or growth.

4. a horse that has never won a race.

5. a race open only to maiden horses.

6. an instrument resembling the guillotine, formerly used in Scotland for beheading criminals.

7. Cricket.,  maiden over.

adjective

1. Archaic.,  of, relating to, or befitting a girl or unmarried woman.

   her maiden virtues.

2. Archaic.,  (of a woman, especially one past middle age) unmarried.

   my maiden aunt.

3. (of a girl or woman) never having had sexual intercourse; virgin.

4. made, tried, appearing, etc., for the first time.

   a maiden flight.

5. (of a horse) never having won a race or a prize.

6. (of a prize or a race) offered for or open only to maiden horses.

7. untried, as a knight, soldier, or weapon.

maiden

/ ˈmeɪdən /

noun

1. archaic

   1. a young unmarried girl, esp when a virgin

   2. ( as modifier )

      a maiden blush

2. horse racing

   1. a horse that has never won a race

   2. ( as modifier )

      a maiden race

3. cricket See maiden over

4. Also called: clothes maiden. dialect,  a frame on which clothes are hung to dry; clothes horse

5. (modifier) of or relating to an older unmarried woman

   a maiden aunt

6. (modifier) of or involving an initial experience or attempt

   a maiden voyage

   maiden speech

7. (modifier) (of a person or thing) untried; unused

8. (modifier) (of a place) never trodden, penetrated, or captured

Other Word Forms

• maidenish adjective
• maiden-like adjective
• maidenship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of maiden¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English mægden, equivalent to mægd, mæg(e)th (cognate with German Magd, Gothic magaths ) + -en -en ⁵

Word History and Origins

Origin of maiden¹

Old English mægden; related to Old High German magad, Old Norse mogr young man, Old Irish mug slave

Example Sentences

LB: It's my mum's maiden name, so the English side of the family.

From BBC

For Pegula, the wait for a maiden Grand Slam title goes on.

From BBC

Making her maiden speech in the House of Lords, Baroness Gray said that the UK needs "public servants to succeed".

From BBC

Worse would have been to shrug and put the pressure on to inexperienced team-mate Washington Sundar, who stood 20 runs short of a maiden Test century.

From BBC

Piastri's sixth win in 13 races extends his lead in the see-sawing battle to 15 points before the next race in Hungary this weekend, scene last year of Piastri's maiden victory, in somewhat controversial circumstances.

From BBC

Related Words

• inaugural 
• introductory