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
Examples of dame in a Sentence
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
Many visitors to Paris check into the grand dames clustered around the Golden Triangle, an iconic luxury nabe known for haute couture shopping and five-star hotels.
—
Siobhan Reid, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2025
The District 1 grand dame’s architecture by Chan Soo Khian of SCDA Architects exudes measured elegance, while interiors by Diana Simpson ground the experience in tactile luxury: custom silk, marble, and Hanoia lacquerware crafted by Vietnam’s most skilled ateliers.
—Paul Jebara, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
The island’s grand dame, The Pridwin, re-opened in 2022 after an extensive renovation.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 17 Apr. 2025
Song’s script clearly wants to frame Lucy as a scrappy everywoman, the kind of dame who is pragmatic in all areas of her life.
—Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dame
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Siobhan Reid, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2025
The District 1 grand dame’s architecture by Chan Soo Khian of SCDA Architects exudes measured elegance, while interiors by Diana Simpson ground the experience in tactile luxury: custom silk, marble, and Hanoia lacquerware crafted by Vietnam’s most skilled ateliers.
—Paul Jebara, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
The island’s grand dame, The Pridwin, re-opened in 2022 after an extensive renovation.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 17 Apr. 2025
Song’s script clearly wants to frame Lucy as a scrappy everywoman, the kind of dame who is pragmatic in all areas of her life.
—Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dame
Cite this Entry
“Dame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dame. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dame
noun
: a woman of rank, station, or authority: 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 before a given name
Etymology
Middle English dame "a woman of rank or authority, lady," from early French dame (same meaning), from Latin domina "mistress, lady," feminine form of dominus "master, owner" — related to damsel, dominate, don entry 2, madam, madonna, prima donna
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