French title ascribed to a knight's or baronet's wife; the female equivalent of sieur or Sir; a title of rank and dignity. Later the title was given to the wife of a man of lower rank than a knight: a respectable woman of modest means, the mistress of a house, e.g. used by an apprentice of his master's wife. The French used the word for the Virgin, i.e. Notre Dame. Chaucer uses the word 'Of the Emperor's daughter, dame Custance'. -
Cf. Damoiselle
Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases. Christopher Coredon with Ann Williams.