(a) An unmarried woman, usually young; (b) ~ and (ne) wif, widwe wif or ~, maidenes and wives, man ~ or wif, ne wepman ne womman ne ~, men wives maidenes, etc.; child ~, a young unmarried woman; lure (rage) of maidenes, a group of young women; (c) a woman as distinguished from a man; ~ or knave; also, a representation of a woman; (d) a girl, a young girl; knave and ~, knave children and maidenes, maidenes and grom.

(a) A virgin; woman ~; (b) a virgin by religious vocation; also fig.; (c) the Virgin Mary; ~ Marie, Marie the ~; ~ and moder, moder and ~, ~ godes moder, ~ of milce, maide of maidenes; maidenes sone, Christ; (d) a man who abstains from sexual experience for religious reasons; also, a man lacking sexual experience; -- also, in contexts in which celibates of both sexes are implied; maidenes song, cp. Rev. 14.4; (e) astron. the zodiacal sign Virgo.

A maidservant, waiting woman; a lady in waiting.

As adj.: virgin, virginal.

Cpds. & combs.: ~ barn, a girl child, young girl; ~ clene, pure as a virgin; ~ gras = medeswete; ~ lond, the land of the Amazons; ~ losse (lire), loss of virginity; maiden(es milk = lac virgineum; ~ reden, ?the condition of virginity.

(a) In surnames; (b) in place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.31-2].