From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary EnglishRelated topics: Theatredamedame /deɪm/ noun [countable]1WOMAN American English old-fashioned informal a woman2APT British English a humorousfemale character in a pantomime (=a special play at Christmas) who is played by a manExamples from the Corpusdame• Annes is a dame of dubiousvirtue.• But Mrs Pigdon was a sharp-eyeddame for all that.• This was not an ordinary room but rather the boudoir of a grande dame.• You should have seen the dame!DameDame noun [countable]NAME OF A PERSONa Britishtitle given to a woman as an honour for achievement or for doing good things, or a woman who has this title → Sir
Dame Judi Dench
She was made a Dame in 1992.Examples from the CorpusDame• Both Dames Elizabeth and Martha were deaf, so whatever you said or how you said it would not cause any alarm.• But Margaret knew nothing about it, and therefore she could hardly feel that she was a real Dame.Origindame(1200-1300)Old FrenchLatindomina“lady of high rank”
