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damsel

Pronunciation: /ˈdamz(ə)l/
Definition of damsel

noun

archaic or literary
  • a young unmarried woman.

Phrases

damsel in distress

humorous a young woman in trouble: she makes a rather sweet damsel in distress

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French dameisele, damisele, based on Latin domina 'mistress'

damsel in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of damsel in the US English dictionary
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