young-ladyism

English

Etymology

From young lady +‎ -ism.

Noun

young-ladyism (uncountable)

  1. (dated) Behaviour befitting, or typical of, a young lady.
    • 1860, Grace Wharton, Philip Wharton, The Queens of Society:
      Though Lady Mary had none of the young-ladyism or sentimentality of girls of her age, we are not to suppose her either hard or masculine.
    • 1869–1870, Louisa M[ay] Alcott, “New Fashions”, in An Old-Fashioned Girl, Boston, Mass.: Roberts Brothers, published 1870, →OCLC, page 31:
      […] Fanny, forgetful of her young-ladyism and her sixteen years, had boxed Tom's ears, and Tom, resenting the insult, had forcibly seated her in the coal-hod, where he held her with one hand while he returned the compliment with the other.
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