dame

noun

ˈdām 

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

2

a

informal : an elderly woman : matron

b

US slang, old-fashioned : woman

a classy dame

Synonyms of dame

• dowager
• matron

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

Now Alicia, a New York dame, drifted over to the orange jackets. — Anand Giridharadas, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2026

Still, the biography offers a nearly contemporary portrait of one of Western literature’s grand dames, as well as some useful context around the publication of her novels, beginning with Sense and Sensibility. — Vogue, 10 Sep. 2026

But Broadwick is doing something different to the grand dames and glassy international transplants. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Sep. 2026

The English actress — officially a dame as of 2015 — studied at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before making her screen debut in 1951. — Maggie Fremont, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin domina, feminine of dominus master; akin to Latin domus house — more at dome entry 1

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing dame

• dame school
• dame's rocket
• grande dame

Rhymes for dame

• aim
• blame
• brame
• came
• claim
• fame
• flame
• frame
• game
• haim
• lame
• maim

Kids Definition

dame

noun

ˈdām 

: 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