maiden

UK: /ˈmeɪd^ən/ US: /ˈmeɪdən/ ,(mād′n)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

maid•en /ˈmeɪdən/   n. [countable]

1. a girl or young unmarried woman;
   maid.

adj. [before a noun]

2. of, relating to, or befitting a maiden.
3. • unmarried:
     a maiden aunt.
   • virgin.
4. first:
   a maiden flight.

maid•en•hood, n. [uncountable]
maid•en•ly, adj. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

maid•en  (mād′n), n. 

1. a girl or young unmarried woman;
   maid.
2. a horse that has never won a race.
3. a race open only to maiden horses.
4. an instrument resembling the guillotine, formerly used in Scotland for beheading criminals.
5. Sport [Cricket.] See maiden over. 

adj. 

6. of, pertaining to, or befitting a girl or unmarried woman.
7. (of a woman) unmarried:
   my maiden aunt.
8. made, tried, appearing, etc., for the first time:
   a maiden flight.
9. virgin.
10. (of a horse) never having won a race or a prize.
11. (of a prize or a race) offered for or open only to maiden horses.
12. untried, as a knight, soldier, or weapon.

• bef. 1000; Middle English; Old English mægden, equivalent. to mægd, mæg(e)th (cognate with German Magd, Gothic magaths) + -en -en⁵

maid′en•ish, adj. 
maid′en•ship′, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

maiden / ˈmeɪd^ən/ noun

1. a young unmarried girl, esp when a virgin
2. (as modifier): a maiden blush
3. a horse that has never won a race
4. (as modifier): a maiden race
5. See maiden over
6. (modifier) of or relating to an older unmarried woman: a maiden aunt
7. (modifier) of or involving an initial experience or attempt: a maiden voyage, maiden speech
8. (modifier) (of a person or thing) untried; unused
9. (modifier) (of a place) never trodden, penetrated, or captured

Etymology: Old English mægden; related to Old High German magad, Old Norse mogr young man, Old Irish mug slave

ˈmaidenish adjective

ˈmaiden-ˌlike adjective