maiden
adjEtymology From Middle English mayden, meiden, from Old English mæġden (“girl”), originally a diminutive of mæġeþ (“girl”) via diminutive suffix -en, from Proto-West Germanic *magaþ, from Proto-Germanic *magaþs. Equivalent to maid + -en.
8 senses
1
Virgin.
- a surprising old maiden lady1857–1859, W[illiam] M[akepeace] Thackeray, The Virginians. A Tale of the Last Century, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury & Evans, […], published 1858–1859, →OCLC:
- It was just the middle of October when I moved in with my maiden sister […]1859, Charles Dickens, The Haunted House:
2
Of a female Without offspring.
Human or animal
3
Like or befitting a (young, unmarried) maiden.
- Haue you no modeſty, no maiden ſhame, / No touch of baſhfulneſſe?c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], page 155, column 2:
4
Figuratively Being a first occurrence or event.
- 1975 was the year when West Indies won their maiden World Cup title.
- The Titanic sank on its maiden voyage.
2 more examples
- After Edmund Burke's maiden speech, William Pitt the Elder said Burke had "spoken in such a manner as to stop the mouths of all Europe" and that the Commons should congratulate itself on acquiring such a member.
- Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado took his maiden victory and Williams's first since 2004 in a strategic battle with Ferrari's Fernando Alonso.2012 May 13, Andrew Benson, “Williams's Pastor Maldonado takes landmark Spanish Grand Prix win”, in BBC Sport:
5
Ball games, Cricket, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports Being an over in which no runs are scored.
- He bowled a record twelve maiden overs in his spell of 8-33 in 21 overs.
6
Fresh; innocent; unpolluted; pure; hitherto unused.
- Come Brother Iohn, full brauely haſt thou fleſht thy Maiden ſword.c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iv], page 72, column 2:
- When I am dead, good Wench, / Let me be vs’d with Honor; ſtrew me ouer / With Maiden Flowers, that all the world may know / I was a chaſte Wife, to my Graue: Embalme me, / Then lay me forth (although vnqueen’d) yet like / A Queene, and Daughter to a King enterre me.1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii], page 226, column 2:
7
Of a fortress Never having been captured or violated.
- Victorie forsook him for ever since he ransacked the maiden town of Magdenburg1631, J. Taylor, (Please provide the book title or journal name):
- But every citizen considered his own honor as bound up with the honor of the maiden fortress.1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:
8
Of a tree Grown from seed and never pruned.
- Synonyms
- maidenly