madam

noun

mad·​am ˈma-dəm 

plural madams

1

a

plural mesdames mā-ˈdäm 

-ˈdam

: lady

—used without a name as a form of respectful or polite address to a woman

Right this way, madam.

b

Madam

—used as a conventional form of address in the salutation of a letter

2

: mistress sense 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

: a woman who runs a brothel

4

: a woman who is the head of a household : wife

Every once in a while the madam and I will order a book that we've read about …

—H. S. Truman

Synonyms

• helpmate
• helpmeet
• lady
• missus
• missis
• Mrs.
• old lady
• wife
• wifey
• woman [chiefly dialect]

Examples of madam in a Sentence

the madam and I are planning to go out for a nice dinner on our anniversary

Recent Examples on the Web

Neither madam nor monsieur had any idea what a fish fork was. —Paul Keane, Hartford Courant, 6 Nov. 2024

Sage had befriended Hamilton and offered to trade information about the outlaw’s whereabouts to authorities to avoid deportation over her activities as a madam. —Marianne Mather, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2024

Warren Beatty plays McCabe, a drifter and fast-talker who falls in with, and falls in love with, Mrs. Miller (Julie Christie), a madam who offers to improve business at his low-rent brothel. —Keith Phipps, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2024

Nicoise salad, croque madam, steak frites, cod Provencal and haricot verts seasoned with herbs de Provence. —Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 21 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French ma dame, literally, my lady

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

madam

noun

mad·​am ˈmad-əm 

plural mesdames mā-ˈdäm 

-ˈdam

1

—used as a form of polite address to a woman

2

capitalized

—used as a title especially before the name of rank or office of a high-ranking woman

Madam President

Etymology

Middle English madam "woman of rank or authority, lady," from early French ma dame, literally "my lady," from Latin domina "mistress, lady," feminine form of dominus "master, owner" — related to dame, dominate, madonna