grande dame
noun
plural grandes dames
ˈgrän-ˈdäm(z) 
also grande dames
ˈgrän-ˈdäm(z)
also grande dames
ˈgrän-ˈdäm(z)
1
: a usually elderly woman of great prestige or ability
Examples of grande dame in a Sentence
the city's grandes dames still hold considerable sway in its cultural life
Recent Examples on the Web
She has been known as the grande dame and social arbiter of the show, living in a Potomac-area mansion with her husband.
—
Olivia Diaz, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024
Aside from the aging grande dame, the Negresco, there was not really a first-rate luxury hotel in Nice until the arrival, late last year, of the Anantara Plaza Hotel, which is positioned in the heart of the city’s luxury shopping district, just steps from the beachfront.
—Stephen Heyman, Vogue, 14 Dec. 2023
See all Example Sentences for grande dame 
Olivia Diaz, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024
Aside from the aging grande dame, the Negresco, there was not really a first-rate luxury hotel in Nice until the arrival, late last year, of the Anantara Plaza Hotel, which is positioned in the heart of the city’s luxury shopping district, just steps from the beachfront.
—Stephen Heyman, Vogue, 14 Dec. 2023
See all Example Sentences for grande dame
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'grande dame.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Grande dame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grande%20dame. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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