maidenhood

English

Etymology

From Middle English maydenhode, meidenhod, maȝdenhad, from Old English mæġdenhād (“maidenhood”), corresponding to maiden +‎ -hood.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈmeɪd(ə)nhʊd/

Noun

maidenhood (countable and uncountable; plural maidenhoods)

1. (uncountable) The condition of being a maiden; the time when one is a maiden or young girl.
   • 1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book XI:

     I have gyven the the grettyst ryches and the fayryst floure that ever I had, and that is my maydynhode that I shall never have agayne – and therefore, jantyll knyght, owghe me youre good wyll.

2. The state of an unwed female; virginity.
3. (countable) The maidenhead.
4. Freshness; newness.

Synonyms

• maidhood

Translations

condition of being maiden

• Breton: gwerc'hted
• Dutch: maagdelijkheid (nl)
• Finnish: neitsyys (fi)
• French: virginité (fr)
• German: Jungfrauheid

• Latin: virginitās (la) f
• Manx: moidynys (gv) f
• Scottish Gaelic: òigheachd f, maighdeannas m
• Welsh: gwyryfdod m, morwyndod m

maidenhead

• Finnish: neitsyys (fi), immenkalvo (fi)
• Manx: moidynys (gv) f

• Scottish Gaelic: maighdeannas m
• Spanish: virginidad (es)