Maidenly

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Displaying qualities associated with a young girl, such as modesty and innocence, that are deemed suitable for a woman of that age in conduct or appearance
2. Characterized by the virtues of youth and unmarried status, reflecting demure behavior and an appearance fitting for a young female
3. Exhibiting the modesty and innocence typical of a young woman who has not married

Etymology: "Maidenly" is a plain compound: "maiden" with the adjective-forming suffix "-ly" attached. The base "maiden" traces back through Middle English "maiden" and Old English "mægden," a diminutive-like form of "mægd" meaning a young woman or girl, and the suffix "-ly" comes from Old English "-lic," meaning "having the form or quality of," which is why the word means something like "having the qualities of a maiden." The word entered English in the Middle English period, and its sense of modest, innocent youthfulness developed from the broader idea of a young unmarried woman. Because "-ly" attaches freely to nouns in this way, the combination was a natural formation rather than a deliberate coinage.

Synonyms: virginal, pure, chaste

Antonyms: promiscuous, impure, unchaste