French word

mesdemoiselles

Pronunciation

IPA/mɛdəmwazɛl/

Meaning

  • feminine nounyoung ladies

Example

Entrez, mesdemoiselles, s'il vous plaît.

Please come in, young ladies.

Illustration for mesdemoiselles (young ladies)

More examples

Mesdemoiselles et messieurs, veuillez prendre place.

Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats.

Core concept

Several young women gathered as the recipients of one direct address.

Common phrases

  • mesdemoiselles et messieurs

    ladies and gentlemen

Similar words

mademoiselle: A form of address or title for a young unmarried woman.
madame: A polite form of address or title for an adult woman.
jeune fille: A term for a young girl or minor.

Definition in French

Pluriel de mademoiselle; appellation employée pour interpeller plusieurs jeunes femmes, parfois perçue comme familière ou un peu désuète.

Word origin

Mesdemoiselles comes directly from mademoiselle by regular French plural formation, while mademoiselle contains the older form demoiselle.

Usage tips

  • Mesdemoiselles can sound familiar or dated, so mesdames or a person's name is often more neutral when the preferred form of address is unknown.

Opposites

  • messieursgentlemennoun

Related words

Word lists with this word