donzelle

French

Etymology

From Middle French dansielle, donselle, donzelle, from Old French donzele, borrowed from Old Occitan donçela, from Vulgar Latin *domnicella, from earlier *dominicella (literally “little maidenly (woman)”), from Classical Latin domina (“mistress”) + -ica + -ella. Compare also Italian donzella, Old Occitan donçela. Doublet of damoiselle and demoiselle.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dɔ̃.zɛl/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

donzelle f (plural donzelles)

1. (now rare, archaic) maiden, damsel
2. (derogatory) little madam, young madam

Further reading

• “donzelle”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /donˈd͡zɛl.le/
• Rhymes: -ɛlle
• Hyphenation: don‧zèl‧le

Noun

donzelle f pl

1. plural of donzella (“maiden, damsel”)

Norman

Etymology

From Old French damoisele, from Vulgar Latin *domnicella, from Classical Latin domina (“mistress”), from domus (“house”), from Proto-Indo-European *dṓm, from root *dem- (“to build”).

Noun

donzelle f (plural donzelles)

1. (Jersey) hussy