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Definition of 'madam'

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madam

(mædəm ) also Madam
Word forms: plural madams
1. countable noun
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.
[politeness]
Try them on, madam.
2. vocative noun
You use the expression 'Dear madam' at the beginning of a formal or business letter or email when you are writing to a woman.
Dear Madam, Thank you for your interest in our Memorial Scheme.
3. vocative noun [NOUN noun]
Madam is sometimes used in front of words such as 'Chairman' to address the woman who holds the position mentioned.
I have to say this, Madam Chairman.
4. countable noun & vocative noun
You can call a little girl a madam if you are annoyed because she is being naughty and behaving as if she expects other people to do what she wants.
[mainly British, spoken, disapproval]
Sue is a thoroughly precocious little madam if ever there was one.
Wait till I get you home, young madam.
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

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madam

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madam in British English

(ˈmædəm )
nounWord forms: plural madams or for sense 1 mesdames (ˈmeɪˌdæm )
1. 
a polite term of address for a woman, esp one considered to be of relatively high social status
2. 
a woman who runs a brothel
3.  British informal
a precocious or pompous little girl
4.  See the madam
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
C13: from Old French ma dame my lady
Word Frequency

madam in American English

(ˈmædəm )
nounWord forms: plural ˈmadams
1. 
a woman; lady
a polite term of address
2. 
the mistress of a household
3.  US
a woman in charge of a brothel
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin
Fr madame, orig. ma dame < L mea domina, my lady: see dame

Examples of 'madam' in a sentence
madam

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content.Read more…
I have hold of your hand but, lord, madam, you are a weight.
Fidelis Morgan THE RIVAL QUEENS: A COUNTESS ASHBY DE LA ZOUCHE MYSTERY (2002)

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madam

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In other languages
madam

British English: madam /ˈmædəm/ NOUN
Madam is a formal and polite way of addressing a woman.
Thank you, madam.
  • American English: madam /ˈmædəm/
  • Arabic: سَيِّدَةٌ
  • Brazilian Portuguese: madame
  • Chinese: 女士
  • Croatian: gospođa
  • Czech: paní zdvořilé oslovení
  • Danish: frue
  • Dutch: mevrouw
  • European Spanish: señora
  • Finnish: rouva puhuttelusana / arvonimi
  • French: madame
  • German: gnädige Frau
  • Greek: κυρία
  • Italian: signora
  • Japanese: 奥様
  • Korean: 부인 여성
  • Norwegian: frue
  • Polish: pani
  • European Portuguese: madame
  • Romanian: doamnă
  • Russian: госпожа
  • Latin American Spanish: señora
  • Swedish: frun
  • Thai: คุณผู้หญิง
  • Turkish: madam
  • Ukrainian: мадам
  • Vietnamese: quý bà

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Nearby words of
madam

  • Madagascar aquamarine
  • Madagascar jasmine
  • Madalyn
  • madam
  • madame
  • madarosis
  • madbrain

  • All ENGLISH words that begin with 'M'

Related terms of
madam

  • the madam

Source

Definition of madam from theCollins English Dictionary
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Apr 29, 2021
Word of the day
parterre
a formally patterned flower garden
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Scrabble score
for 'madam':
10

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