grande dame
/ˌɡɹɑnd ˈdɑm/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.66 in modern English
15
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A woman who is high-ranking, socially prominent, or has a dignified character, especially one who is advanced in age and haughty.
noun
A woman who is accomplished and influential, and is a respected senior figure in a particular field; a doyenne.
noun
A very highly regarded and well-known institution or structure, or large conveyance such as a ship.
Example Sentences
- "In general the Continental, or at least the Belgian old women permit themselves a license of manners, speech, and aspect, such as our venerable grand-dames would recoil from as absolutely disreputable, […]"
- "You only 'make love' languidly to some grande dame, who blinds him with sandal-wood and stifles him in lace; […]"
- "Now the Baronne de Ribaumont Walwyn was a veritable grande dame, and Madame Croquelebois, in spite of her sharp nose, and sharper tongue, was quite cowed by her, and absolutely driven to confess that she had not heard a word against Madame la Contesse."
- "Do you no longer want to go to Europe? to court? to be grande dame and converse with princes?"
- ""Beatniks," snorted one grande dame as she pushed her way toward her chauffeur-driven limousine."
- "She has been buying (under my guidance) new clothes and she looks quite the grande dame."
Etymology
Origin
- Source language: French
Word Breakdown
- Root: *gʰer-, grande dame, grandes dames
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˌɡɹɑnd ˈdɑm/
- British English: /ˌɡɹɒ̃ ˈdɑːm/