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DictionaryRoot: ma
French

ma

my

Forms

  • ma
  • mon — A related French form used with a different class of nouns.

Origin

From Latin mea, a form of meus, “my.”

Note

The different forms agree with the possessed noun, not with the owner's sex.

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noun

mademoiselle

A French term for an unmarried young woman.

The waiter politely addresses the young French woman as mademoiselle.

Etymology
maFrenchmy
+demoiselleFrenchyoung lady

The expression literally means my young lady. It became a conventional French form of address distinguishing an unmarried young woman.

More examples

  • “Good morning, mademoiselle,” the shopkeeper says to Claire.
  • The young mademoiselle enters the dining room with her parents.
  • The French textbook uses mademoiselle for an unmarried young woman.

Forms

mademoiselle · mademoiselles · mesdemoiselles

Similar words

miss
English term for a girl or unmarried woman, especially in address.