What does "madam" mean?
A polite form of address for a woman or lady.
Madam
/ˈmæd.əm/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A polite form of address for a woman or lady.
- Grammar: madam is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: brothel keeper, lady, ma'am, abbess.
- Useful contrasts: dude, fella, gentleman.
- Usage evidence: We must find the money, Madam Chairman, for the sake of the children.
How to use "madam"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "madam" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "madam" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "madam" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "madam" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "madam" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "brothel keeper" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "madam", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A polite form of address for a woman or lady.
"Mrs Grey wondered if the outfit she was trying on made her look fat. The sales assistant just said, “It suits you, madam”."
- 2 Alternative letter-case form of madam. alt-of
"The conſtant queſtion, upon her offering to ſtir abroad, was, where are you going Madam? To ſee the King my papa, replied the Princeſs. That cannot be Madam. No? why ſo? It is not the Etiquette. — And thus, if ſhe had a mind to viſit any of the Mesdames, the king’s ſiſters or aunts, ſhe was always told, it was not the Etiquette."
- 3 a woman of refinement wordnet
- 4 The mistress of a household.
- 5 A polite form of address and title, abbreviated Mdm, used before a (usually middle-aged) adult or elderly woman's surname, full name or given name if she does not have a family name. Singapore
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 a woman who runs a house of prostitution wordnet
- 7 A conceited or quarrelsome girl. colloquial
"Selina kept pushing and shoving during musical chairs. The nursery school teacher said she was a bad-tempered little madam."
- 8 A woman who runs a brothel, particularly one that specializes in finding prostitutes for rich and important clients. slang
"After she grew too old to work as a prostitute, she became a madam."
- 9 A hated or contemptuous woman; used as a general term of abuse India, derogatory, slang
Verb
- 1 To address as "madam". transitive
"Madam me no Madam, but learn to retrench your vvords; and ſay Mam; as yes Mam, and no Mam, as other Ladies VVomen do. Madam! 'tis a year in pronouncing."
- 2 To be a madam; to run (a brothel). ambitransitive, rare
"The writer has never accepted the criterion “will it make money?” He has known that the application of such an irrelevancy to any of the arts and sciences resulted in sterility, error and waste. But what is more important, the writer will not pretend that this is not so. He will not pretend that the money criterion is a valid point of reference. The result has been that the writer has been kicked around from furnished room to the luxurious offices of advertising agencies and those palaces of prostitution which are madamed by public relations counsellors."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"We must find the money, Madam Chairman, for the sake of the children."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "madam"?
Common synonyms include: brothel keeper, lady, ma'am, abbess, bawd, brothel owner.
How do you use "madam" in a sentence?
We must find the money, Madam Chairman, for the sake of the children.
How do you pronounce "madam"?
Pronounced /ˈmæd.əm/.
Etymology
From Middle English madame, from Old French madame, from ma (“my”) + dame (“lady”), from post-classical Latin mea domina. Doublet of Madonna.