noun
damsel
DAM-zuhl
noun
1
An old-fashioned or literary word for a young, unmarried woman, especially one in a story who needs rescuing.
"The knight rode off to save the damsel from the dragon."
"In old fairy tales, the damsel is usually locked in a tower."
How to Use Damsel
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA young lady, almost always used now in the phrase "damsel in distress" rather than in everyday speech.
When to use it
Archaic or deliberately old-fashioned/literary; not used to describe real women in modern conversation.
Common pairings
damsel in distress
Word Forms
damsels plural
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Etymology
From Old French damoisele, ultimately from Latin domina ("lady, mistress") — the same root that gave us "dame" and the French demoiselle.