Adjacent Words

Madam definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

MAD'AM, n. An appellation or complimentary title given to married and elderly ladies, or chiefly to them.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a woman of refinement; "a chauffeur opened the door of the limousine for the grand lady" [syn: dame, madam, ma'am, lady, gentlewoman]
2: a woman who runs a house of prostitution [syn: madam, brothel keeper]

Merriam Webster's

noun (plural madams) Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French ma dame, literally, my lady Date: 14th century 1. plural mesdames lady — used without a name as a form of respectful or polite address to a woman 2. mistress 1 — used as a title formerly with the given name but now with the surname or especially with a designation of rank or office <Madam Chairman> <Madam President> 3. the female head of a house of prostitution 4. the female head of a household ; wife

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a polite or respectful form of address or mode of reference to a woman. 2 Brit. colloq. a conceited or precocious girl or young woman. 3 a woman brothel-keeper. Etymology: ME f. OF ma dame my lady

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Madam Mad"am, n.; pl. Madams, or Mesdames. [See Madame.] A gentlewoman; -- an appellation or courteous form of address given to a lady, especially an elderly or a married lady; -- much used in the address, at the beginning of a letter, to a woman. The corresponding word in addressing a man is Sir.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

also Madam People sometimes say Madam as a very formal and polite way of addressing a woman whose name they do not know or a woman of superior rank. For example, a shop assistant might address a woman customer as Madam. Try them on, madam. N-VOC [politeness]

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

see madam

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

A kept madam; a kept mistress.

Moby Thesaurus

Frau, Fraulein, Miss, Mistress, Mlle, Mme, Mmes, abbess, bawd, chatelaine, dame, dona, donna, dowager, fancy man, first lady, gigolo, goodwife, governess, great lady, homemaker, housewife, lady, madame, mademoiselle, maquereau, matriarch, matron, mem-sahib, mesdames, mistress, mother superior, pander, panderer, pimp, procurer, procuress, senhora, senhorita, signora, signorina, vrouw, white slaver