dame

A title given to a woman who receives a British honour equal to a knighthood.

• She was made a dame last year.
• The actress became a dame for her services to drama.
• Two dames attended the ceremony.

Common phrases: become a dame, made a dame

A funny, dramatic female character in a traditional family play, usually played by a man.

• The dame wore a huge pink dress.
• He played the dame in our Christmas pantomime.
• The audience laughed when the dame lost her wig.

Common phrases: pantomime dame, play a dame, comic dame

A woman who looks after pupils in a boarding school, especially at Eton.

• The dame looked after the sick boy.
• Each house had a dame to care for its pupils.
• The boys asked their dame for clean towels.

Similar words: matron

Common phrases: school dame, house dame

A woman who holds the inherited title of ruler of the island of Sark.

• The dame of Sark lived on the island.
• She became dame after inheriting the title.
• The island's history records the rule of its dames.

Common phrases: dame of Sark, hereditary dame

To give a woman the British title Dame as an honour.

• They decided to dame the actress.
• The singer was damed for her services to music.
• Would the monarch dame her after so many years of public service?

Common phrases: dame someone, dame an actress