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
Over half a million tennis fans from around the world will visit southwest London beginning June 30 for Wimbledon, the grand dame of tennis tournaments.
—
Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Like the city itself, Rome’s hotels are dynamic and diverse, ranging from historic grand dames to stylish accommodations with contemporary interiors.
—Erica Firpo, AFAR Media, 29 May 2025
For nearly a decade, Karen Huger has been the grand dame and gravitational force of The Real Housewives of Potomac.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 26 Mar. 2025
Enjoy fin de siècle glamour and views of the Gulf of Trieste from a balcony suite at Savoia Excelsior Palace, one of the city’s grand dame hotels.
—Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dame
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Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Like the city itself, Rome’s hotels are dynamic and diverse, ranging from historic grand dames to stylish accommodations with contemporary interiors.
—Erica Firpo, AFAR Media, 29 May 2025
For nearly a decade, Karen Huger has been the grand dame and gravitational force of The Real Housewives of Potomac.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 26 Mar. 2025
Enjoy fin de siècle glamour and views of the Gulf of Trieste from a balcony suite at Savoia Excelsior Palace, one of the city’s grand dame hotels.
—Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dame
Cite this Entry
“Dame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dame. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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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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