Etymology

grande dame

Today it means: A woman who is high-ranking, socially prominent, or has a dignified character, especially one who is advanced in age and haughty. Full definition →

First used early 18th c.French grande dame
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The story

  1. French · borrowed fromgrandes dames
  2. French · borrowed fromgrande dame
  3. English todaygrande dame

Borrowed from French grande dame, from grande (the feminine form of grand (“great, grand”)) + dame (“lady”). Doublet of grandam. The plural form grandes dames is borrowed from French grandes dames.

First known use, by meaning

  • from early 18th c. A woman who is high-ranking, socially prominent, or has a dignified character, especially one who is advanced in age and haughty.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.