I Need a Word

[drcpunk]

I need a word that means the male equivalent of the Grand Dame. "Grand Duke" isn't quite right, nor is "Grey Eminence".

Comments

[frith]

Grand master, as in 'grand master of the horror genre'? Will that do?

[drcpunk]

Not quite -- it lacks the sense of... mm, graciousness as well as mastery, if that makes any sense?

[frith]

Yes, there is a sense of royalty in "grand dame", which translates 'great lady'. Gentleman could work, depending on context. Otherwise you could end up rummaging about in aristocracy titles, knights, dukes and the like. There's grand wizard, but that evokes both fantasy and the KKK.

[auntiemisha]

Hmm from French you could try Grand Monsieur or Grand Sir but both don't sound quite right. It seems there is no commonly used equivalent.

[frith]

I keep thinking "grand dame of the performing arts" and wondering as to what could possibly be the male equivalent. Maestro?