damsel in distress

/ˈdæm.zəl ɪn dɪˈstɹɛs/

noun

A young woman perceived as being helpless in a dangerous situation and requiring rescue.

OriginFrench demoiselle en détresse →
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Meanings

noundamsel in distress (plural damsels in distress)

plural damsels in distress

  1. A young woman perceived as being helpless in a dangerous situation and requiring rescue.

    'Sort of damsel in distress,' said the romantic Strangways. 'Good show. According to the CIA she's a corker.'

    1954, Ian Fleming, “The Undertaker's Wind”, in Live and Let Die, London: Pan Books, published 1957, page 190
    2 more examples

    I am not a pretty girl / That is not what I do / I ain't no damsel in distress / And I don't need to be rescued

    1995, Ani DiFranco, “Not a Pretty Girl”, in Not a Pretty Girl

    The damsel-in-distress archetype probably conjures up images of delicate maidens and chivalrous gentlemen. That is precisely what it is designed to do — for white people.

    2020 May 27, Ruby Hamad, “A White Damsel Leveraged Racial Power and Failed”, in New York Times

Origin

  1. Frenchdemoiselle en détresse
  2. Englishdamsel in distress

Calque of French demoiselle en détresse, from the classic theme in many dramatic forms.

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic فَتَاة فِي مِحْنَة
  • فَتَاة فِي مِحْنَةyoung woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
Bulgarian дево́йка в беда́, мома́ в беда́
  • дево́йка в беда́ (devójka v bedá)young woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
  • мома́ в беда́ (momá v bedá)young woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
Catalan donzella en perill
  • donzella en perillyoung woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
Chinese Mandarin 英雄救美
  • 英雄救美 (yīngxióng jiù měi)young woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
Dutch dame in nood, jonkvrouw in nood
  • dame in noodyoung woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
  • jonkvrouw in noodyoung woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
Esperanto savota fraŭlino, savendulino
  • savota fraŭlinoyoung woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
  • savendulinoyoung woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
Finnish neito pulassa
  • neito pulassayoung woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
French demoiselle en détresse
  • demoiselle en détresseyoung woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
German Jungfrau in Nöten, verfolgte Unschuld
  • Jungfrau in Nötenyoung woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
  • verfolgte Unschuldyoung woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
Hindi संकट में युवती
  • संकट में युवती (saṅkaṭ mẽ yuvtī)young woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
Italian damigella in pericolo, fanciulla in pericolo
  • damigella in pericoloyoung woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
  • fanciulla in pericoloyoung woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
Japanese 囚われの姫君
  • 囚われの姫君 (toraware no himegimi)young woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
Korean 곤경에 빠진 아가씨
  • 곤경에 빠진 아가씨 (gon'gyeong'e ppajin agassi)young woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
Polish dama w opałach
  • dama w opałachyoung woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
Portuguese donzela em apuros, donzela em perigo
  • donzela em apurosyoung woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
  • donzela em perigoyoung woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
Russian де́ва в беде́, пресле́дуемая де́ва
  • де́ва в беде́ (déva v bedé)young woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
  • пресле́дуемая де́ва (preslédujemaja déva)young woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
Spanish damisela en apuros
  • damisela en apurosyoung woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
Swedish dam i nöd, jungfru i fara
  • dam i nödyoung woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
  • jungfru i farayoung woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
  • jungfru i nödyoung woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
  • flicka i trångmålyoung woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
Thai สาวเอ๊าะเดือดร้อน
  • สาวเอ๊าะเดือดร้อนyoung woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
Ukrainian діва у біді
  • діва у бідіyoung woman perceived as being in a dangerous situation.
Cite this entry
APA

damsel in distress. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/damsel%20in%20distress

MLA

“damsel in distress.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/damsel%20in%20distress. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “damsel in distress,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/damsel%20in%20distress.

Source: damsel in distress on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.