‖ damoiseau Obs. or arch.
(ˈdæmɪzoː)
[a. OF. damoiseau, earlier damei-, dami-, damoisel:—L. dominicellus; the masculine corresp. to damoisel, damsel.]
A young man of gentle birth, not yet made a knight. (Occurring in 15th c. translations from French, and in modern archaists.)
| c 1477 Caxton Jason 5 The damoiseau Jason. c 1500 Melusine 125 Two yong & fayre damoyseaulx brethren..‘Frende’, said the damoyselle, ‘be they so fayre damoyseaux as ye say?’ 1870 Morris Earthly Par. I. i. 194 So thou, O damoiseau, must wait; Tie up thine horse anigh the gate. 1872 E. W. Robertson Hist. Ess. 190 The aspirant for knighthood was supposed to pass his life between 7 and 14 as a page..figuring during the next 7 years as a Damoiseau or Esquire. |