demoiselle
English
![](Images/wiktionary/Calopteryx_splendens.jpg.webp)
Banded demoiselle (damselfly of the family Calopterygidae), Calopteryx splendens
Etymology
Borrowed from French demoiselle. The bird is so called on account of the grace and symmetry of its form and movements. Doublet of damsel, doncella, and donzella.
Noun
demoiselle (plural demoiselles)
- A damselfly of the family Calopterygidae.
- A young lady; a damsel; a lady's maid.
- The Numidian crane (Grus virgo).
- Synonym: demoiselle crane
Synonyms
- (damselfly): broad-winged damselfly
Translations
Calopterygidae
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French
Alternative forms
- damoiselle
Etymology
From Old French damoisele, from Vulgar Latin *domnicella, diminutive of Latin domina. Compare Spanish doncella and damisela, Italian donzella and damigella, Portuguese donzela. Doublet of donzelle. See Romanian domnișoară.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /də.mwa.zɛl/
audio (file)
Noun
demoiselle f (plural demoiselles)
- damsel, maiden
- miss
- damselfly
Synonyms
- dlle
Derived terms
- demoiselle d'honneur
- demoiselle en détresse
- mademoiselle
Related terms
- damoiseau
Further reading
- “demoiselle”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.