mademoiselle

See also: Mademoiselle

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French mademoiselle.

Noun

mademoiselle (plural mademoiselles or mesdemoiselles)

1. Courtesy title for an unmarried woman in France or a French-speaking country.
2. (jocular or affected) A young woman or girl, especially one who is French or French-speaking.
   • 1964, Chuck Berry (lyrics and music), “You Never Can Tell”:

     It was a teenage wedding, and the old folks wished them well / You could see that Pierre did truly love the mademoiselle...

Translations

courtesy title for an unmarried woman in France or a French-speaking country

• French: mademoiselle (fr) f
• Japanese: マドモアゼル (madomoazeru)

• Russian: мадемуазе́ль (ru) f (madɛmuazɛ́lʹ), мадмуазэ́ль f (madmuazɛ́lʹ)

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French

Etymology

ma +‎ demoiselle Contraction of ma demoiselle (my little lady).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mad.mwa.zɛl/

• audio

  (file)

Noun

mademoiselle f (plural mesdemoiselles)

1. Miss (as a form of address)

Noun

mademoiselle f (plural demoiselles)

1. Miss (as a title with a name)

Usage notes

• Not used for an older woman unless she is clearly unmarried.
• As of February 21, 2012, the use of the word mademoiselle is prohibited from use in official forms and registries in France. ("‘Mademoiselle’ Exits Official France", "Mademoiselle is no longer an official French woman")

Synonyms

• M^lle
• Mlle.

Descendants

• → Alemannic German: Màmsel, Màmselala
• → English: mademoiselle

See also

• madame
• Mademoiselle
• mondamoiseau
• Ms.

Further reading

• “mademoiselle” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).