maidenly

Maidenly is an adjective describing qualities or behaviors attributed to a maiden, or more generally to an unmarried young woman. It denotes modesty, innocence, gentleness, or virginal purity, and can apply to appearance, demeanor, or conduct. In contemporary English, the term is largely archaic or literary and is rarely used outside historical or fictional contexts.

Historically, maidenly was used to characterize a young woman's comportment as appropriate to her social status. In poetry and prose of the Early Modern period through the 18th and 19th centuries, writers spoke of “maidenly modesty” or “maidenly simplicity.” Because of its association with idealized female virtue, the word can carry gendered connotations and may seem dated or normative to modern readers.

Etymology: maidenly is formed from the noun maiden (a young, unmarried woman) with the adverbial suffix -ly, a pattern common in English for producing adjectives indicating relation or resemblance. The sense appears in Early Modern English and persists mainly in historical or stylistic usage today.