dame

dame — noun

1. a prestigious British title that is awarded to a woman whose work has strongly b

1.nounB1
Definition

a prestigious British title that is awarded to a woman whose work has strongly benefited society over many years; the title is placed before her first name, just as 'Sir' is placed before a man's name

Example

Wren was awarded the title of Dame in 2022 for her work in improving schools.

title usage — Dame + given name

Defne was overjoyed when the palace announced she had been made a Dame.

be made a Dame (passive of appointment)

Common collocations
  • Dame + given name
  • make someone a Dame
  • be awarded the title of Dame
  • Dame Commander
  • Damehood
Synonyms
  • Lady

    Also a title for women in the UK, but 'Lady' often comes from being the wife of a lord or a baronet, while 'Dame' is an honour earned through personal achievement.

  • Baroness

    A specific rank in the peerage; a Dame is not necessarily a peer, whereas a Baroness holds a hereditary or life peerage title.

Antonyms
  • Sir

    The male equivalent title, used before a man's given name.

Grammar Patterns

Dame + [given name]

be made a Dame

make someone a Dame

Usage Note

The title always comes before the woman's given name, not before her surname — for example, 'Dame Camille', not 'Dame Brown'. Frequently passive in expressions like 'be made a Dame' or 'be awarded the title of Dame'.

Common Mistakes

Dame Brown received an award.
Dame Camille Brown received an award.
The title is used before the given name, not the surname.
She was called Dame.
She was made a Dame.
The phrase 'make someone a Dame' is the standard expression for conferring the honour.

2. a woman; an informal and slightly old-fashioned way of referring to a woman, esp

2.nounB2
Definition

a woman; an informal and slightly old-fashioned way of referring to a woman, especially in American film noir or detective stories from the mid-1900s

Example

The film noir character was a mysterious dame with a hidden past.

film noir context — dated use of 'dame' for a woman

"Who is that dame in the red dress?" asked the old soldier.

Common collocations
  • mysterious dame
  • tough dame
  • that dame
  • some dame
Synonyms
  • woman

    Neutral and modern; the standard term without any dated or informal flavour.

  • lady

    Polite and respectful; safer than 'dame' in almost all everyday situations.

  • broad

    An even more dated and slangy term for a woman, strongly associated with 1920s–1950s American crime fiction.

Grammar Patterns

a + adjective + dame

that dame

Usage Note

This sense is dated and can sound old-fashioned or slightly disrespectful if used in modern conversation. It survives mainly in period films, vintage crime fiction, and affectionate imitation of that style.

Common Mistakes

I met a nice dame at work today.' (sounds odd in modern English)
I met a nice woman at work today.
'Dame' for 'woman' sounds dated outside of deliberate stylistic choices.
That dame over there is my teacher.' (disrespectful tone)
That lady over there is my teacher.
'Dame' can come across as dismissive or rude in everyday settings.

3. a comic older-woman role in a traditional British stage show for children, perfo

3.nounB2
Definition

a comic older-woman role in a traditional British stage show for children, performed during the Christmas season; the part is nearly always performed by a male actor in bright, over-the-top clothing and makeup

Example

The pantomime dame wore a huge purple hat and told silly jokes.

Linh laughed when the dame pretended to bake a giant rubber cake on stage.

pantomime dame — slapstick comedy tradition

Common collocations
  • pantomime dame
  • play the dame
  • the dame costume

Grammar Patterns

the dame

play the dame

Usage Note

This sense is specific to British pantomime culture and is rarely understood outside the UK. The dame is always a comic figure — not a serious female role — and the part is traditionally played by a man in drag with exaggerated makeup.

Common Mistakes

She played the dame in the play.' (assumes a female actor)
He played the dame in the pantomime.
The dame is traditionally performed by a male actor.
Using 'dame' for any female character in a play.
Use 'dame' only for the specific comic older woman figure in British pantomime.

4. a woman of high social rank or noble birth; a woman who behaves with the grace a

4.nounC1
Definition

a woman of high social rank or noble birth; a woman who behaves with the grace and dignity associated with a high social position — now largely used only in historical or literary contexts

Example

In the old story, a noble dame lived in a castle by the sea.

archaic register — noble rank

The queen appointed a wise and loyal dame to manage the royal household.

Common collocations
  • noble dame
  • gentle dame
  • ancient dame
  • powerful dame
Synonyms
  • noblewoman

    A clearer modern term for a woman of noble birth; avoids the ambiguity of 'dame'.

  • lady

    In historical contexts, 'lady' is the more common and less confusing term for a woman of rank.

  • matriarch

    Describes a woman who holds authority in a family or group, without the noble birth requirement.

Grammar Patterns

a + adjective + dame

Usage Note

This sense is archaic and appears almost exclusively in historical fiction, period dramas, or literary descriptions of medieval or Renaissance society. Avoid using it in modern writing — readers are likely to interpret it as the 'Dame' title (sense 1) or the informal 'woman' sense (sense 2).

Common Mistakes

She is a dame of the charity foundation.' (sounds old-fashioned and unclear)
She is the chairperson of the charity foundation.
Use modern terms for social roles.
The dame of the house welcomed us.' (confusing — could mean the female knight, an old woman, or a noblewoman)
Be specific: 'The lady of the house welcomed us.

Word family

  • damehood
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four terms are British titles of honour or rank, but they differ in origin and usage. 'Dame' and 'Sir' are equivalent gendered honours conferred for personal achievement — a Dame is the female counterpart of a Sir, and both are used before the given name (Dame Judi, Sir Ian). A 'Lady', by contrast, is either the wife of a lord, baronet, or knight, or the daughter of a duke, marquess, or earl — it is an inherited or marital rank, not an earned honour in the same way. A 'Baroness' holds a specific peerage rank (the female equivalent of a Baron) and sits in the House of Lords, whereas a Dame may not hold a seat in Parliament. For example: Dame Anjali received her honour for charity work, while Baroness Jiwoo holds a life peerage and votes on legislation in the Lords.

Dame ↗Sir ↗Lady ↗Baroness

Common collocations

Nouns

  • Damehood
  • Dame Commander
  • pantomime dame

Phrases

  • be made a Dame
  • play the dame
  • award the title of Dame

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'dame' entered English from Old French 'dame', meaning 'lady' or 'mistress of a house'. The French word came from Latin 'domina' (lady, mistress of a household), which is the feminine form of 'dominus' (lord, master). 'Domina' itself comes from 'domus' (house), making 'dame' a distant relative of words like 'domestic', 'domain', and even 'dome'. The meaning shifted over centuries from the general sense of 'lady of the house' to the specific British honour title used today, while the older 'woman of rank' sense faded into historical use.