maiden

1 of 2

noun

maid·​en ˈmā-dᵊn 

1

old-fashioned + literary : an unmarried girl or woman : maid

2

: a former Scottish beheading device resembling the guillotine (see guillotine sense 1)

3

: a horse that has never won a race

maiden

2 of 2

adjective

1

a of a woman, dated

(1)

: not married

a maiden aunt

(2)

: virgin

b of a female animal

(1)

: never yet mated

(2)

: never having borne young

2

: of, relating to, or befitting a maiden

3

: first, earliest

a ship's maiden voyage

the maiden flight of a spacecraft

Synonyms of maiden

Noun

• girl
• maid

Adjective

• first
• initial
• inaugural
• original
• foremost
• earliest

Examples of maiden in a Sentence

Noun

a story about a courageous knight who rescues a fair maiden

a story about a beautiful maiden and her mysterious father

Adjective

the maiden issue of a new magazine

a politician giving his maiden speech in the Senate

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Lastly, Sovereignty broke his maiden in his third start as a two-year-old and won the Kentucky Derby in his third start last year, followed by his three wins at Saratoga last summer. — Geoff Clark, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026

Skinner’s side reached the quarter-finals in their 2025-26 maiden Champions League campaign but failed to qualify for Europe this term after the depth of their squad was exposed amid a busy season. — Megan Feringa, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026

Adjective

Earlier this summer, competing in her maiden grand-tour race, the Spaniard won the Vuelta a Espana Femenina, her fourth victory of the season. — Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026

The 2016 Indy 500 winner conducted the maiden validation test, praising the car's exceptional build quality and predictable, rewarding handling. — Bruce Martin, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

Middle English, from Old English mægden, mǣden, diminutive of mægeth; akin to Old High German magad maiden, Old Irish mug serf

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Phrases Containing maiden

• iron maiden
• maiden name
• sea-maiden

Rhymes for maiden

• laden
• maidan
• handmaiden
• menhaden
• unladen

Kids Definition

maiden

1 of 2 noun

maid·​en ˈmād-ᵊn 

: a young unmarried girl or woman

maidenhood

-ˌhu̇d

noun

maidenly

-lē

adjective

maiden

2 of 2 adjective

1

a

: not married

maiden aunt

b

: virgin entry 2 sense 1

2

: of or relating to a maiden

3

: coming before all others : first, earliest

maiden voyage