How Do You Spell MADEMOISELLES?

Pronunciation: [mˈadəməzˌɛlz] (IPA)

The word "mademoiselles" is a plural form of "mademoiselle", a French word that means "miss" or "young lady." In IPA phonetic transcription, the spelling of "mademoiselles" is /madmwaˈzɛl/. The first syllable "ma" is pronounced as "mah," the "d" is pronounced as "d", the "e" in "moi" is silent, and the rest of the syllables are pronounced as "mwah-zel." This word is commonly used to address young and unmarried women in a formal or polite manner in France.

MADEMOISELLES Meaning and Definition

1. Mademoiselles, derived from the French term "mademoiselle," is a plural noun used primarily in the English language. The word refers to young, unmarried women or girls, typically used as a form of polite address or title. Historically, "mademoiselle" was used to differentiate between a married woman (madame) and an unmarried woman, and it is equivalent to the English term "miss."

   In contemporary usage, "mademoiselles" can be employed to address a group of young women or as a collective term for young, unmarried females. However, the term has become less common in modern English, and its usage may vary depending on regional or cultural contexts. Additionally, "mademoiselle" may be accompanied by a woman's first name, indicating a respectful and formal address.

   The term originated in the French language, where it translates to "my young lady." It has historically been considered a term of gentility and respect when addressing young, unmarried women. However, in recent years, there has been a shift towards using more gender-neutral language, advocating for the use of "madame" regardless of marital status or age. This change aims to eliminate the perception of women's marital status as necessary information for identification or respect. Consequently, the usage of "mademoiselle" and its plural form, "mademoiselles," has decreased in English-speaking societies in favor of more inclusive language.

Common Misspellings for MADEMOISELLES

• madamoiselle
• madmoiselle
• mademoselles
• madamoiselles

Etymology of MADEMOISELLES

The word "mademoiselle" has its etymology in the French language. It is a combination of two words: "madame" and "demoiselle".

"Madame" is a French word derived from the Latin "mea domina", meaning "my lady". It was originally used to address married women or widows, and it gradually became common to address any adult woman, regardless of marital status, as "madame".

"Demoiselle" is also a French word that translates to "maiden" or "young lady". It comes from the Old French "damoiselle", which was derived from the Latin term "dominicella", meaning "young lady" or "young noblewoman".

These two words, "madame" and "demoiselle", were combined to form "mademoiselle". Originally, "mademoiselle" specifically referred to an unmarried young lady or a girl.

Similar spelling word for MADEMOISELLES

• mademoiselle.