maidenhood - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

From Middle English maydenhede, maydenhode, from Old English mæġdenhād (“maidenhood”). By surface analysis, maiden +‎ -hood.

maidenhood (countable and uncountable, plural maidenhoods)

  1. (uncountable) The condition of being a maiden; the time when one is a maiden or young girl.
    • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “iij”, in Le Morte Darthur, book XI:
      Thenne she said my lord sir launcelot I biseche yow see me as soone as ye may / for I haue obeyed me vnto the prophecy that my fader teld me / And by his commaūdement to fulfille this prophecy I haue gyuen the grettest rychesse and the fayrest floure that euer I had / and that is my maydenhode that I shalle neuer haue ageyne / and therfore gentyl knyȝt owe me youre good wille
      Then she said, My Lord, Sir Lancelot, I beseech you see me as soon as you may / For I have obeyed unto the prophecy that my father told me / And by his commandment to fulfill this prophecy I have given the greatest riches and the fairest flower that ever I had / And that is my maidenhood that I shall never have again / And therefor gentle knight, owe me your goodwill
  2. (countable, metonymic) A woman's virginity or maidenhead.
  3. (by extension) Freshness; newness.

condition of being maiden

maidenhead