Maid″en (?), n. [OE. maiden, meiden, AS. mægden, dim. of AS. mæg�, fr. mago son, servant; akin to G. magd, mädchen, maid, OHG. magad, Icel. mögr son, Goth. magus boy, child, magaps virgin, and perh. to Zend. magu youth. Cf. Maid a virgin.] 1. An unmarried woman; a girl or woman who has not experienced sexual intercourse; a virgin; a maid.
She employed the residue of her life to repairing of highways, building of bridges, and endowing of maidens. Carew.
A maiden of our century, yet most meek. Tennyson.
2. A female servant.
3. An instrument resembling the guillotine, formerly used in Scotland for beheading criminals. Wharton.
4. A machine for washing linen.