grande dame

noun

plural grandes dames ˈgrän-ˈdäm(z) How to pronounce grande dame (audio) also grande dames ˈgrän-ˈdäm(z) How to pronounce grande dame (audio)
1
: a usually elderly woman of great prestige or ability
2

Examples of grande dame in a Sentence

the city's grandes dames still hold considerable sway in its cultural life
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
No Napa restaurant list is complete without mentioning the area’s grande dame that put Napa Valley on the epicurean map. Katie Sweeney, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024 Irene Camber, grande dame of women’s fencing, dies at 98 Hostage families begin 4-day march amid tense cease-fire negotiations South African city copes with climate change by chopping down trees A loud bang, and then a shout, disrupts Metro transit hearing What is a leap day? Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024 Or try Hacienda Puerta Campeche, a grande dame hotel recently taken over by Six Senses Resorts & Spas. Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024 The 62-villa resort designed by Yabu Pushelberg is a sophisticated modern offshoot of the city’s grande dame, just 20 minutes north. Katie Lockhart, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for grande dame 

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, great lady

First Known Use

1775, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of grande dame was in 1775

Dictionary Entries Near grande dame

Cite this Entry

“Grande dame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grande%20dame. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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