Madam

This article is about the title. For other uses, see Madam (disambiguation). "Mme" redirects here. For other uses, see MME.

Madam (/ˈmædəm/), or madame (/ˈmædəm/ or /məˈdɑːm/),[1] is a polite and formal form of address for women in the English language, often contracted to ma'am[2] (pronounced /ˈmæm/ in American English[2] and this way but also /ˈmɑːm/ in British English[3]). The term derives from the French madame, from "ma dame" meaning "my lady". In French, the abbreviation is "Mme" or "Mme" and the plural is mesdames (abbreviated "Mmes" or "Mmes"). These terms ultimately derive from the Latin domina, meaning "mistress".[4]

  1. ^ "Madame — Meaning & Definition for UK English". Lexico — Powered by Oxford. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Ma'am Definition & Meaning". Dictionary by Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  3. ^ "Ma'am — Meaning & Definition for UK English". Lexico — Powered by Oxford. Archived from the original on October 29, 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  4. ^ "Madame - Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9e édition". Dictionnaire de l’Académie Française. Retrieved 2 December 2021.