noun Literary.
- a young woman or girl; a maiden, originally one of gentle or noble birth.
noun
- archaic, or poetic a young unmarried woman; maiden
late 12c., from Old French dameisele “woman of noble birth” (Modern French demoiselle “young lady”), modified (by association with dame) from earlier donsele, from Gallo-Romance *domnicella, diminutive of Latin domina “lady” (see dame). Archaic until revived by romantic poets, along with 16c.-17c. variant form damozel.