damsel
/ˈdamz(ə)l
/noun archaic or literary
A young unmarried woman.The young damsel has been captured by baddie pirate Barbossa because she possesses a rare coin....
- The story goes that a young damsel was at the top of the tower when she saw her husband gored to death by a stag he was hunting.
- He would never sense the spirit, the gaiety in courting a young damsel.
Phrases
damsel in distress
Origin
Middle English: from Old French dameisele, damisele, based on Latin domina 'mistress'.
In romances any knight in shining armour worth his salt in a tale of chivalry scoured the country looking for a damsel in distress to rescue. Damsel is based on Latin domina ‘mistress’, which is also the source of dame and of modern French mademoiselle.