Meanings
comparative more maidenly · superlative most maidenly
- Of or pertaining to a maiden.
- Suitable for, or befitting a maiden; gentle; modest; pure; shy.
“I’ll try, but it was a very ungentlemanly thing to do, I didn’t think you could be so sly and malicious, Laurie,” replied Meg, trying to hide her maidenly confusion under a gravely reproachful air.
1868-69, Louisa May Alcott, chapter 21, in Little Women
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectivebefitting or characteristic of a maiden
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Middle Englishmaidenly
- Englishmaidenly
From Middle English maidenly, equivalent to maiden + -ly.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek παρθένος
- παρθένος (parthénos)suitable for, or befitting a maiden
Bulgarian момински, момин
- момински (mominski)of or pertaining to a maiden
- момин (momin)of or pertaining to a maiden
- девически (devičeski)of or pertaining to a maiden
- девичи (deviči)of or pertaining to a maiden
Greek παρθένος
- παρθένος (parthénos)suitable for, or befitting a maiden
Italian virgineo
- virgineoof or pertaining to a maiden
Latin puellāris, virgineus
- puellārisof or pertaining to a maiden
- virgineusof or pertaining to a maiden
Polish dziewiczy, dziewiczy
- dziewiczyof or pertaining to a maiden
- dziewiczysuitable for, or befitting a maiden
Russian де́вичий, деви́чий
- де́вичий (dévičij/devíčij)of or pertaining to a maiden
- деви́чий (dévičij/devíčij)of or pertaining to a maiden
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
maidenly. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/maidenly
“maidenly.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/maidenly. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “maidenly,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/maidenly.
Source: maidenly on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.