damsel
4 synonyms and 2 antonyms for damsel, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — An old-fashioned or literary word for a young, unmarried woman, especially one in a story who needs rescuing.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use damsel
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
damsel in distress
Archaic or deliberately old-fashioned/literary; not used to describe real women in modern conversation.
Etymology
From Old French damoisele, ultimately from Latin domina ("lady, mistress") — the same root that gave us "dame" and the French demoiselle.
Full origin of damsel →Frequently asked questions
What does “damsel” mean?
The word “damsel” means an old-fashioned or literary word for a young, unmarried woman, especially one in a story who needs rescuing. In plain terms, a young lady, almost always used now in the phrase "damsel in distress" rather than in everyday speech.
How do you pronounce “damsel”?
“Damsel” is pronounced DAM-zuhl (/ˈdæm.zəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “damsel” in a sentence?
Here is “damsel” used in a sentence: “The knight rode off to save the damsel from the dragon.”
What part of speech is “damsel”?
“Damsel” is a noun.
Where does the word “damsel” come from?
The word “damsel” comes from Latin. From Old French damoisele, ultimately from Latin domina ("lady, mistress") — the same root that gave us "dame" and the French demoiselle.
