Definition

A woman who is married to someone's father but is not their biological mother.

Example

After her father remarried, she had to adjust to living with her stepdame.

Conversation

Have you met my new stepdame?

No, I haven't! How is she?

She's really nice and has a great sense of humor.

That's awesome! It's great to have a friendly stepdame.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Stepdame → The word is formed from "step" (from Old English *stæpe*, meaning a step or a degree) and "dame" (from Old French *dame*, meaning lady or woman). A stepdame refers to a woman who is a stepmother, indicating her role as a lady in relation to her partner's children from a previous relationship.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'step' as a degree of relationship and 'dame' as a lady — a stepdame is a lady who takes a step into the role of a mother.

Visually Confused Words