Lady vs. Maiden — What's the Difference?

The word lady is a term of respect for a girl or woman, the equivalent of gentleman. Once used to describe only women of a high social class or status, the female equivalent of lord, now it may refer to any adult woman.

An unmarried girl or woman.

A woman of high social standing or refinement, especially when viewed as dignified or well-mannered.

A woman or girl who is a virgin.

A woman who is the head of a household

A machine resembling the guillotine, used in Scotland in the 1500s and 1600s to behead criminals.

A woman, especially when spoken of or to in a polite way

A racehorse that has never won a race.

Used as a form of address for a woman, often with sarcasm or irritation

See maiden over.

A woman who is the object of romantic or chivalrous love

Of, relating to, or befitting a maiden.

(Informal) A wife or girlfriend

Being an unmarried girl or woman

A lady in waiting

Being a racehorse that has never won a race.

A general feminine title of nobility and other rank, specifically as the title for the wife or widow of a knight or baronet.

First or earliest

Used as a form of address for a woman of high rank, especially for a marchioness, countess, viscountess, baroness, or baronetess.

A girl or an unmarried young woman.

Lady The Virgin Mary. Usually used with Our.

A female virgin.

(historical) The mistress of a household.

A man with no experience of sex, especially because of deliberate abstention.

A woman of breeding or higher class, a woman of authority.

A maidservant.

The feminine of lord.

A clothes maiden.

A title for someone married to a lord or gentleman.

An unmarried woman, especially an older woman.

A title that can be used instead of the formal terms of marchioness, countess, viscountess, or baroness.

(horse racing) A racehorse without any victory, i.e. one having a "virgin record".

A woman: an adult female human.

(horse racing) A horse race in which all starters are maidens.

(in the plural) A polite reference or form of address to women.

(historical) A Scottish counterpart of the guillotine.

(slang) Used to address a female.

(cricket) A maiden over.

(ladies' or ladies) Toilets intended for use by women.

(obsolete) A machine for washing linen.

(informal) A wife or girlfriend; a sweetheart.

(Wicca) Maiden

A woman to whom the particular homage of a knight was paid; a woman to whom one is devoted or bound.

Virgin.

(slang) A queen the playing card.

(of a female, human or animal) Without offspring.

Who is a woman.

Like or befitting a (young, unmarried) maiden.

(Wicca) Lady.

(figuratively) Being a first occurrence or event.

(archaic) gastric mill, the triturating apparatus in the stomach of a lobster, consisting of calcareous plates; so called from a fancied resemblance to a seated female figure.

(cricket) Being an over in which no runs are scored.

A five-pound note. (Rhyming slang, Lady Godiva for fiver.)

Fresh; innocent; unpolluted; pure; hitherto unused.

A woman’s breast.

(of a fortress) Never having been captured or violated.

A queen.

(of a tree) Grown from seed and never pruned

To address as “lady”.

An unmarried woman; a girl or woman who has not experienced sexual intercourse; a virgin; a maid.

A woman who looks after the domestic affairs of a family; a mistress; the female head of a household.

A female servant.

A woman having proprietary rights or authority; mistress; - a feminine correlative of lord.

An instrument resembling the guillotine, formerly used in Scotland for beheading criminals.

A woman to whom the particular homage of a knight was paid; a woman to whom one is devoted or bound; a sweetheart.

A machine for washing linen.

A woman of social distinction or position. In England, a title prefixed to the name of any woman whose husband is not of lower rank than a baron, or whose father was a nobleman not lower than an earl. The wife of a baronet or knight has the title of Lady by courtesy, but not by right.

Of or pertaining to a maiden, or to maidens; suitable to, or characteristic of, a virgin; as, maiden innocence.

A woman of refined or gentle manners; a well-bred woman; - the feminine correlative of gentleman.

Never having been married; not having had sexual intercourse; virgin; - said usually of the woman, but sometimes of the man; as, a maiden aunt.

A wife; - not now in approved usage.

Fresh; innocent; unpolluted; pure; hitherto unused.

Any woman; as, a lounge for ladies; a cleaning lady; also used in combination; as, saleslady.

Used of a fortress, signifying that it has never been captured, or violated.

The triturating apparatus in the stomach of a lobster; - so called from a fancied resemblance to a seated female figure. It consists of calcareous plates.

To act coyly like a maiden; - with it as an indefinite object.

Belonging or becoming to a lady; ladylike.

An unmarried girl (especially a virgin)

A polite name for any woman;

(cricket) an over in which no runs are scored

A woman of refinement;

Serving to set in motion;

A woman of the peerage in Britain