princesse lointaine
/prãˌsɛs lwãˈtɛn
/noun (plural princesses lointaines) literary
An ideal but unattainable woman: Constant’s princesse lointaine was the Chinese film actress Anna May Wong [as modifier]: her princesse lointaine expression...
- She was my princesse lointaine, beyond my wildest dreams; although of course I did dream, innocent boyish dreams of winning her heart and hand by some feat worthy of one of Arthur's knights.
- Whether it is Sarah in ‘The French Lieutenant's Woman,’ Jane in ‘Daniel Martin’ or Lily in ‘The Magus,’ the most powerful of those characters have always been women - women who like the princesses lointaines of medieval romances remain mysterious and aloof.
Origin
French, literally 'distant princess', from the title of a play by E. Rostand (see Rostand, Edmond), based on a theme in troubadour poetry.