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demoiselle

 - 6 dictionary results

dem⋅oi⋅selle

[dem-wuh-zel, dem-uh-; Fr. duh-mwa-zel]
–noun, plural -selles [-zelz; Fr. -zel] .
1. an unmarried girl or young woman.
2. demoiselle crane.
3. a damselfly, esp. of the genus Agrion.
4. damselfish.
5. Furniture. a lady's wig stand of the 18th century, in the form of a pedestal table.

Origin:
1760–70; < F; see damsel

dam⋅sel⋅fish

[dam-zuhl-fish]
–noun, plural (especially collectively) -fish, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) -fish⋅es.
any of several chiefly tropical, brilliantly colored, marine fishes of the family Pomacentridae, living among coral reefs.
Also called demoiselle.


Origin:
1900–05; damsel + fish
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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dam·sel·fish   (dām'zəl-fĭsh')   
n.   pl. damselfish or dam·sel·fish·es
Any of various small tropical marine fishes of the family Pomacentridae, having laterally compressed, usually brightly colored bodies. Also called demoiselle.
dam·sel·fly   (dām'zəl-flī')   
n.  Any of various often brightly colored, predatory insects having a long slender body and elongated wings that fold together when the insect is at rest. Also called demoiselle, devil's darning needle.
dem·oi·selle   (děm'wə-zěl')   
n.  
  1. A young woman.

  2. A demoiselle crane.

  3. See damselfly.

  4. See damselfish.


[French, damsel, from Old French dameisele; see damsel.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Encyclopedia

demoiselle

any of about 250 species of small, primarily tropical marine fishes of the family Pomacentridae (order Perciformes) found in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific oceans. Damselfishes are deep-bodied and usually have forked tails. They resemble the related cichlids, and, like them, have a single nostril on each side of the head. Many species are brilliantly coloured, often in shades of red, orange, yellow, or blue; most do not exceed a length of about 15 cm (6 inches)

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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