damoiseau

English

Noun

damoiseau (plural damoiseaus or damoiseaux)

1. (historical) A young gentleman who was not yet a knight but aspired to be one; a young nobleman accompanying his lord or lady to hunt, walk, travel, etc.

Related terms

• damoisel
• damoiselle
• damsel

French

Etymology

Inherited from Old French damoisel, from Vulgar Latin *domnicellus, diminutive of Classical Latin dominus (“master, lord”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /da.mwa.zo/

• Audio:

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Noun

damoiseau m (plural damoiseaux)

1. (archaic) young man
2. (historical) a young gentleman who was not yet a knight but aspired to be one; a young nobleman accompanying his lord or lady to hunt, walk, travel, etc.
3. (ironic, dated) a handsome, charming young man who is courteous or amorous toward women

Related terms

• damoiselle

Further reading

• “damoiseau”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.