lady

Meaning

Noun

1. (historical) The mistress of a household.
2. A woman of breeding or higher class, a woman of authority.
3. The feminine of lord.
4. A title for someone married to a lord or gentleman.
5. A title that can be used instead of the formal terms of marchioness, countess, viscountess, or baroness.
6. (polite) A woman: an adult female human.
7. (in-plural) A polite reference or form of address to women.
8. (slang) Used to address a female.
9. (informal) A wife or girlfriend; a sweetheart.
10. A woman to whom the particular homage of a knight was paid; a woman to whom one is devoted or bound.
11. (slang) A queen (the playing card).
12. (attributive) Who is a woman.
13. (alt-of, alternative) Alternative form of Lady.
14. (archaic) gastric mill, the triturating apparatus in the stomach of a lobster, consisting of calcareous plates; so called from a fancied resemblance to a seated female figure.
15. (UK, slang) A five-pound note. (Rhyming slang, Lady Godiva for fiver.)
16. (in-plural, slang) A woman’s breast.
17. (rare, slang) A queen.

Verb

To address as “lady”.

Synonyms

woman

👩

mistress

madam

female

♀️

girl

👧

wife

👰‍♀️

gentlewoman

dame

queen

👸

Mrs.

matron

madame

gentleman

🤵‍♂️

damsel

adult female

ma’am

noblewoman

married woman

Miss

mother

👩‍🍼

Mrs

housekeeper

maid

missus

milady

women

Ms

noble lady

Frau

Madam

signora

aunt

hostess

donna

homemaker

girlfriend

dona

checker

girder

demoiselle

missis

bride

auntie

mesdemoiselles

friend

first lady

damozel

maiden

fille

mademoiselle

Translations

signora

dame

Dame

señora

Frau

👩

dame

κυρία

madame

mevrouw

dama

senhora

domina

femme

👩

mulher

👩

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈleɪdi/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: lady

Inherited from Old English: hlǣfdīġe

Cognate with Old English: dǣġe

In summary

From Middle English lady, laddy, lafdi, lavedi, from Old English hlǣfdīġe (“mistress of a household, wife of a lord, lady”, literally “bread-kneader”), from hlāf (“bread, loaf”) + dīġe (“kneader”), related to Old English dǣġe (“maker of dough”) (whence dey (“dairymaid”)). Compare also lord. More at loaf, dairy, dough. Unrelated to lad.

Sentences

The pavement collapsed earlier this morning , injuring an old lady heading for the market .