Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “dame” come from?

dame (French) comes from Old French dame, from Late Latin domna, from Latin domina, from Latin Dominus, from Latin domus, from Proto-Italic domos, from Proto-Indo-European dṓm, from Proto-Indo-European dem- — to build; to arrange, to put together.

dame (French): A lady; A polite form of address for a woman;...

Definitions

  1. A lady; A polite form of address for a woman;...

Ancestry of “dame”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchdamelady; woman
2Late Latindomnalady, mistress
3Latindominalady or mistress of the house
4LatinDominusthe Lord; Lord; The Lord
5Latindomushouse, home; any building or abode; native place,...
6Proto-Italicdomoshouse, home
7Proto-Indo-Europeandṓmhome; house
8Proto-Indo-Europeandem-to build; to arrange, to put together

Words derived from “dame”

  • madame
  • cologne
  • demijohn
  • d'or
  • cologned
  • duxelles
  • cul-de-sac
  • de son tort
  • Val-d'Or
  • de rigueur
  • hors d'oeuvre
  • eau de Cologne
  • debeige
  • croque-madame
  • aide-de-camp
  • aide-de-campship
  • de trop
  • madame
  • edecán
  • agua de Colonia
  • dama
  • acqua di Colonia
  • damigiana
  • dama
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dem- →