Standard Lemma guide

pucelle

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /pʊˈsɛl/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛl

1

noun

Meaning 1

A girl, a maiden; a virgin (often with reference to Joan of Arc).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A prostitute, a slut.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman pucele, Middle French pucele, perhaps from a Late Latin *pullicella, but the further etymology is disputed. Compare Sicilian pulla.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Esperanto: virgulino — virgin
  • French: pucelle — virgin
  • Greek: παρθένα (parthéna) — virgin
  • Italian: pulzella — virgin
  • Polish: dziewica — virgin
  • Spanish: pucela — virgin