old maid
Medium (decreasing for the primary sense)Informal, somewhat dated; can be pejorative.
Definition
Meaning
An older, unmarried woman (often considered a dated and potentially offensive term).
A fussy, prim, or overly cautious person; a card game for children where players avoid being left with an odd queen card; a type of flower, specifically the cultivated zinnia.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The primary sense is now considered old-fashioned and often offensive, reflecting outdated social views. The more neutral extended senses (card game, fussy person, flower) remain in use.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both share core meanings. The card game is known in both varieties. The flower name is more common in AmE.
Connotations
The primary sense carries the same negative/dated connotation in both. Use is declining.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in AmE for the floral sense; equally low for the 'unmarried woman' sense.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
to be labelled/considered an old maidto play (a game of) old maidto be left with the old maid (card game)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “left holding the old maid (from the card game, meaning stuck with a loser/liability)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not applicable; unprofessional term.
Academic
Used historically/sociologically to discuss past social attitudes.
Everyday
Potentially offensive if referring to a person. Safe for card game or flower.
Technical
In botany: common name for *Zinnia elegans*.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- We ended up old-maiding all afternoon while it rained.
- He got old-maided in the very first round.
American English
- Let's not old maid the whole negotiation with excessive caution.
- She old-maided her way through the paperwork.
adverb
British English
- She arranged the cups old-maidishly on the shelf.
- He behaved old-maidishly, fussing over details.
American English
- The room was decorated old-maidishly, with doilies everywhere.
- She spoke old-maidishly about modern manners.
adjective
British English
- He has a rather old-maid attitude about tidiness.
- The policy seemed old-maidish and restrictive.
American English
- She dismissed his concerns as old-maid nonsense.
- The hotel's rules were positively old-maidish.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- We played old maid with my little cousin.
- My aunt has a garden full of old maids (zinnias).
- The term 'old maid' is not very polite today.
- In the game, nobody wants to be left with the old maid card.
- The novel's heroine feared being labelled an old maid by her family.
- His old-maidish habits, like alphabetising spices, amused his flatmates.
- The historian analysed how the 'old maid' stereotype was used to control women's social roles.
- The legislation was criticised for its old-maidish preoccupation with minor infractions.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
OLD MAID: The OLD playing card (the odd queen) you're left with makes you the MAID (unmarried servant) of the game.
Conceptual Metaphor
UNWANTED/REJECTED PERSON IS A LEFTOVER OBJECT (from the card game).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque "старая горничная" for a person; it's wrong. For a person, the historical term is "старая дева" but it's similarly dated/offensive. For the card game, it's "игра в старую деву". The flower is "цинния".
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a neutral, modern term for a single woman.
- Confusing 'old maid' (person) with 'maiden aunt' (which can be more affectionate).
Practice
Quiz
Which of these is a current, non-offensive use of 'old maid'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It is an outdated and offensive term when referring to a person. Use 'single woman' or similar neutral phrasing.
It's a simple matching card game for children where players draw cards from each other's hands to make pairs. The player left with the unpaired 'old maid' card (traditionally a queen) loses.
The zinnia flower is sometimes called 'old maid' due to its hardy, long-lasting, and sometimes old-fashioned appearance in cottage gardens.
Both are dated. 'Spinster' was originally a neutral legal term for an unmarried woman, while 'old maid' always carried stronger connotations of undesirability and fussiness. 'Spinster' is more formal; 'old maid' is colloquial and more pejorative.