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maidenhood

noun

Definition of maidenhoodnext
as in girlhood

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of maidenhood Even so, the belief in Mary’s life-long maidenhood is widely shared by members of the Eastern Orthodox Church and by some Lutherans. — Rebecca Coffey, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maidenhood
  1. girlhood
  2. effeminacy
  3. womanhood
Noun
  • Now Carrie enters public school for the very first time, and with the reemergence of formidable telekinetic abilities, her blissful naivety of girlhood and her wide-open heart make her easy prey for physical and online bullies.
    — Entertainment Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Growing up, pop culture’s representations of girlhood included a blonde Wakefield twin from Sweet Valley High, a post-makeover Ally Sheedy in The Breakfast Club, and a big-breasted bombshell manufactured by some dorks with a Commodore 64.
    — Lisa Whittington-Hill, Longreads, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of girlhood
Noun
  • This horror at effeminacy echoes across Baldwin’s novels and essays.
    — Garth Greenwell, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
  • The researchers theorized this could be in part because of greater stigma toward effeminacy in boys than masculinity in girls.
    — Benjamin Ryan, NBC News, 4 Oct. 2023
Definition of effeminacy
Noun
  • Throughout her career, Laurer broke down barriers by challenging expectations of womanhood and athleticism.
    — Tanya Fevzi, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Each collection tells a story of womanhood, including Quick Change for Spring/Summer 2026, where the designer used magic tricks to create a series of transformable looks, responding to a busy woman’s need for multiple outfits in a day.
    — Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of womanhood

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maiden
maidenhood
maidenly
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Cite this Entry

“Maidenhood.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maidenhood. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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