maiden

1 of 2

noun

maid·​en ˈmā-dᵊn 

1

: 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(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

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

Two years later, the box office showman has his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title. —Lukas Weese, New York Times, 8 Aug. 2025

There have been several other maiden wins at the Hungaroring. —Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 4 Aug. 2025

Adjective

Oceania’s second ship in its new Allura class has set sail on its maiden voyage taking travelers on itineraries around the Mediterranean Sea. —Ramsey Qubein, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025

Destiny, though, is slated to have its maiden voyage from the Fort Lauderdale port to the south on Nov. 20 followed by an inaugural season of four- and five-night voyages to the Bahamas and western Caribbean. —Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2025

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