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
In 2014 she was made a dame, the female equivalent of a knight, for services to the arts and to charity.
—
Los Angeles Times,
1 July 2026
In 2014 she was made a dame, the female equivalent of a knight, for services to the arts and to charity.
—
ABC News,
29 June 2026
But despite the throwback charm, this grand dame has maintained its vast offerings and kept up with a modern crowd, having undergone a $35 million renovation in 2018 that updated all the rooms and common areas.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 June 2026
Elsewhere from the entertainment world, Helen Mirren — already a dame, one of the highest ranks — was made a Companion of Honour, of which there are only 65 at any one time.
—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for dame
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Los Angeles Times,
1 July 2026
In 2014 she was made a dame, the female equivalent of a knight, for services to the arts and to charity.
—
ABC News,
29 June 2026
But despite the throwback charm, this grand dame has maintained its vast offerings and kept up with a modern crowd, having undergone a $35 million renovation in 2018 that updated all the rooms and common areas.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 June 2026
Elsewhere from the entertainment world, Helen Mirren — already a dame, one of the highest ranks — was made a Companion of Honour, of which there are only 65 at any one time.
—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for dame
Cite this Entry
“Dame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dame. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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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Merriam-Webster unabridged
