old maid
/əʊld meɪd/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.85 in modern English
11
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A card game in which cards must be paired and one unmatchable card is designated "old maid".
Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "If she is looking for the perfect man before she marries, she'll be an old maid."
- "The people produce far more food than they consume, and exchange the surplus for gongs and brass cannon, ancient jars, and gold and silver ornaments, which constitute their wealth. On the whole, they appear very free from disease, marriages take place early (but not too early), and old bachelors and old maids are alike unknown. Why, then, we must inquire, has not a greater population been produced?"
- "The following are the only hardy species grown, but V. rosea, with rosy or white flowers, is a pretty greenhouse plant known as ' Old Maid ' or ' Madagascar Periwinkle'."
- "Vincas — Old Maids or Periwinkles, often serve a useful purpose as edgings or ground work to beds or borders."
- "Old Maids, Vinca rosea"
- "They would bring potted plants and ferns and seeds for old-maids and periwinkles."