175:
434:", and is generally interchangeable (in a strictly informal sense) with "woman" (as in, "The lady at the store said I could return this item within thirty days"). However, some women, since the rise of second-wave feminism, have objected to the term used in contexts such as the last example, arguing that the term sounds patronising and outdated when used in this way; a man in the same context would not necessarily be referred to as a "gentleman". One
820:
350:(lady doctor, lady engineer, lady judge), though lady doctor is sometimes used by a healthcare receptionist when booking an appointment at a group practice health centre so that the situation is clear to the patient. It is still used in some other occupations, to give dignity and express respect to less skilled work such as
373:
noted one of the difficulties in his 1946 autobiography. He relates that a woman who had paid a fine for prostitution came to his newspaper to protest, not against the fact that her conviction had been reported, but that the newspaper had referred to her as a "woman" rather than a "lady". After the
429:
are often distinguished by signs showing simply "Ladies" or "Gentlemen". "Lady" can have a formal and respectful quality, being used to describe an elderly woman as "an old lady" or when speaking about a woman to a child (e.g. "Give the money to the lady.") It remains in use as a counterpart to
346:(postal worker), but where there is a common word with a -man suffix, sometimes -lady may be used as an equivalent, e.g. postman and (sometimes) postlady. Using "lady" in professional job titles which had previously been male preserves fell out of favour with
935:
The widow of a chief or laird continues to use the territorial style and the prefix
Dowager may be used in the same circumstances ... In rural Scotland (laird's) wives are often styled Lady, though not legally except in the case of the wives of
672:. Her husband was later created a baronet, thus making her "Lady Thatcher" as of right. After she retired, she was given a barony as Baroness Thatcher, of Kesteven in the County of Lincolnshire, and was thereafter known as "The Lady Thatcher".
521:. In the case of an heir apparent to a peerage using one of his father's subsidiary titles by courtesy, his wife uses his courtesy title in the same way as the wife of a substantive peer, except that the definite article is not used.
948:
548:. However, she may not use "Lady" prefixed to her husband's surname alone. Neither may she use the title prefixed to her own given name unless entitled to do so by her own birth as the daughter of an earl, marquess or duke.
325:" for an unknown male: e.g., "Hey, lady, you aren't allowed in here!" In this usage, the word "lady" is very seldom capitalized when written. The usual English term for politely addressing a woman is
966:
166:; the sense development from bread-kneader, or bread-maker, or bread-shaper, to the ordinary meaning, though not clearly to be traced historically, may be illustrated by that of "lord".
493:
As a title of nobility, the uses of "lady" in
Britain are parallel to those of "lord". It is thus a less formal alternative to the full title giving the specific rank, of
953:
394:
women strongly preferred to be called "ladies", while those from higher social backgrounds were content to be identified as "women". Commenting on the word in 1953,
551:
The daughters of dukes, marquesses and earls are by courtesy "ladies"; here, that title is prefixed to the given and family name of the lady, e.g.
509:, whether as the title of the husband's rank by right or courtesy, or as the lady's title in her own right. A peeress's title is used with the
594:
who do not hold a higher style also receive the prefix of "Lady"; here that title is prefixed to the given and family name of the lady, e.g.
309:, etc., but in polite English usage "lady" has for centuries only normally been a term of address in the plural, which is also the case for "
463:
840:
446:(1975), notably raised the issue of the ways in which "lady" is not used as the counterpart of "gentleman". It is suggested by academic
211:", meaning someone of high social status by birth and upbringing, but not necessarily titled. The term is also used in titles such as
375:
321:
it may still be used to address an unknown woman in a brusque manner, often in an imperative or interrogatory context, analogous to "
1037:
835:
544:"Lord" prefixed to their given and family name, the wife may use "Lady" prefixed to the husband's given and family names, e.g.
369:
Both
British and American commentators noted the shifting uses of "lady" in the mid-twentieth century. The American journalist
911:
174:
1221:
958:
387:
1191:
490:
or other royals or nobles. Aside from the queen, women of royal and noble status simply carried the title of "Lady".
1009:
994:
921:
679:, the word is used in a similar fashion to aristocratic usage in Britain. In Ghana, for example, the consort of the
669:
363:
183:
1216:
70:
374:
incident, White assured his readers, his papers referred to human females as "women", with the exception of
339:
31:
1030:
318:
1081:
857:
770:
624:
317:
use (i.e. to address someone directly) was once common but has become mostly confined to poetry. In
431:
1206:
1127:
532:, the title "Lady" preceding the name of the barony or lairdship. In the case of younger sons of a
525:
435:
96:
50:
way. Once used to describe only women of a high social class or status, the female counterpart of
775:
742:
676:
513:: Lord Morris's wife is "the Lady Morris". A widow's title derived from her husband becomes the
178:
20:
1201:
1023:
962:
204:
949:"Titles and styles of knights and dames | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC)"
1196:
791:
619:
24:
825:
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the
195:
The primary meaning of "mistress of a household" is now mostly obsolete, save for the term "
1152:
591:
399:
347:
128:
88:
8:
700:
587:
494:
447:
383:
370:
84:
62:
571:, but in this case without Christian name: "Lady" with the surname of the husband only,
1046:
696:
414:
for a woman who has fallen on hard times; a "lady of the night" is a polite term for a
223:
870:
293:, etc.). In those languages it is correct to address a woman whose name is unknown as
1005:
990:
917:
665:
668:
was informally referred to in the same way by many of her political colleagues when
779:
510:
259:
248:
1015:
1211:
1186:
1112:
688:
451:
422:
283:
270:
237:
227:
1165:
684:
615:
541:
483:
1180:
831:
826:
783:
738:
692:
644:
597:
426:
391:
379:
359:
216:
575:. When a woman divorces a knight and he marries again, the new wife will be
362:
in private homes and in business premises, and healthcare ladies for female
844:. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 61–62.
603:
471:
439:
425:, "lady" is often, but not always, simply a courteous synonym for "woman".
415:
343:
188:
764:
640:
502:
479:
467:
208:
66:
524:
The title "Lady" is also used for a woman who is the wife of a
Scottish
1160:
703:
made use of the title due to their being the wives of
British knights.
680:
395:
355:
212:
47:
466:, from gentlemen, through knights, to peers of the realm. During the
411:
310:
207:. In some contexts "lady" is synonymous with the old-fashioned word "
55:
1061:
889:
636:
606:
LG or LT, respectively, and this is preserved if the lady marries.
556:
537:
506:
498:
474:
were usually known by their first names with "Lady" prefixed, e.g.
407:
351:
314:
200:
196:
112:
79:
74:
1122:
564:
514:
203:
such as "the lady of the house". This meaning is retained in the
92:
152:
140:
132:
568:
322:
158:, "lord". The second part is usually taken to be from the root
104:
1086:
655:
629:
529:
327:
163:
147:
100:
43:
1142:
1137:
1091:
1071:
1066:
717:
712:
533:
487:
276:
116:
108:
51:
1132:
1117:
1076:
378:
characters, who were all "ladies". The
British historian
232:
739:"Lady Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary"
563:. "Lady" is also the customary title of the wife of a
107:, and also before the first name of the daughter of a
30:"Gentlelady" redirects here. Not to be confused with
1045:
583:until either her own death or until she remarries.
763:
138:; the first part of the word is a mutated form of
83:(in her own right), such as female members of the
1178:
450:that feminist usage of the word "lady" has been
219:, the wives of elected or appointed officials.
486:did not have a female equivalent to princes or
342:. Some names for jobs are gender-neutral, e.g.
762:
555:, and this is preserved if the lady marries a
462:Formally, "Lady" is the female counterpart to
19:"My Lady" redirects here. For other uses, see
1031:
987:Merriam Webster's Dictionary of English Usage
303:
263:
252:
954:Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
295:
287:
274:
241:
1038:
1024:
916:. Bloomsbury Publishing. 31 January 2007.
54:, now it may refer to any adult woman, as
887:
830:
813:
811:
809:
807:
805:
803:
801:
654:The word is also used as a title of the
226:the equivalent term serves as a general
173:
358:(or dinner ladies) in school canteens,
1179:
1019:
853:
851:
798:
436:feminist proponent of language reform
382:wrote an influential essay in 1954, "
1004:(New York, Harper & Row, 1975).
941:
890:"Lady: A Feminist Four Letter Word?"
868:
792:participating institution membership
205:southern states of the United States
430:"gentleman", in the plural phrase "
13:
959:New Zealand Parliament, Wellington
848:
150:", also seen in the corresponding
16:Title of address for a noble woman
14:
1233:
965:. 7 November 2023. Archived from
614:The special use of the word as a
609:
470:, princesses or daughters of the
457:
869:Ruth, Walker (2 February 2007).
818:
406:prison!" The term "a bag lady" (
670:Prime Minister of Great Britain
904:
881:
862:
756:
731:
1:
888:Reid Boyd, Elizabeth (2012).
871:"Hey, lady: Call her 'madam'"
724:
122:
65:. "Lady" is used before the
7:
913:Titles and Forms of Address
706:
561:Mr John and Lady Jane Smith
338:In English, relatively few
162:, "to knead", seen also in
91:, or the wife of a lord, a
73:of a woman with a title of
63:title in the United Kingdom
10:
1238:
1002:Language and Woman's Place
579:while the ex-wife becomes
444:Language and Woman's Place
386:", in which she noted the
354:in offices and hospitals,
340:job titles are un-gendered
230:equivalent to the English
29:
18:
1222:Styles (forms of address)
1151:
1105:
1054:
989:(Merriam-Webster, 1989),
875:Christian Science Monitor
858:Oxford English Dictionary
771:Oxford English Dictionary
720:, a title parallel to Sir
701:Oyinkansola, Lady Abayomi
643:, the word is properly a
398:wrote that "the guard at
1047:English social honorific
697:Kofoworola, Lady Ademola
169:
61:"Lady" is also a formal
841:Encyclopædia Britannica
776:Oxford University Press
743:Encyclopedia Britannica
573:Sir John and Lady Smith
464:higher ranks in society
179:John William Waterhouse
153:
141:
133:
58:can be used for men.
21:Milady (disambiguation)
963:New Zealand Government
784:10.1093/OED/1095698573
586:Female members of the
519:The Dowager Lady Smith
304:
296:
288:
275:
264:
253:
242:
192:
1192:Women's social titles
454:in the 21st century.
364:healthcare assistants
177:
25:Lady (disambiguation)
1217:British noble titles
689:Lady Julia Osei Tutu
592:Order of the Thistle
432:ladies and gentlemen
348:second-wave feminism
331:or its abbreviation
127:The word comes from
89:Order of the Thistle
774:(Online ed.).
691:. In Nigeria, the
588:Order of the Garter
448:Elizabeth Reid Boyd
371:William Allen White
184:The Lady of Shalott
85:Order of the Garter
894:Women and Language
476:The Lady Elizabeth
388:class distinctions
224:European languages
193:
191:, London, England)
77:or honorary title
1174:
1173:
790:(Subscription or
675:Elsewhere in the
666:Margaret Thatcher
628:, represents the
313:". The singular
46:who behaves in a
1229:
1040:
1033:
1026:
1017:
1016:
979:
978:
976:
974:
969:on 24 April 2024
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749:
735:
581:Jane, Lady Smith
511:definite article
307:
299:
291:
280:
267:
256:
245:
156:
144:
136:
42:is a term for a
1237:
1236:
1232:
1231:
1230:
1228:
1227:
1226:
1207:Terms for women
1177:
1176:
1175:
1170:
1147:
1101:
1050:
1044:
1000:Lakoff, Robin.
983:
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972:
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928:
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905:
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867:
863:
856:
849:
834:, ed. (1911). "
819:
817:
816:
799:
789:
761:
757:
747:
745:
737:
736:
732:
727:
709:
651:"of the Lady".
647:, representing
612:
553:Lady Jane Smith
546:Lady John Smith
540:, who have the
460:
423:British English
360:cleaning ladies
228:form of address
172:
125:
35:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1235:
1225:
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981:
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861:
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832:Chisholm, Hugh
797:
755:
729:
728:
726:
723:
722:
721:
715:
708:
705:
685:Ashanti people
611:
610:Other meanings
608:
542:courtesy title
484:Middle English
459:
458:British titles
456:
442:, in her book
427:Public toilets
402:said it was a
171:
168:
124:
121:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1234:
1223:
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1202:English words
1200:
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1010:0-19-516757-0
1007:
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995:0-87779-132-5
992:
988:
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944:
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923:9781408148129
919:
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865:
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837:
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828:
827:public domain
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633:Domina Nostra
631:
627:
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621:
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607:
605:
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598:Marion Fraser
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584:
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389:
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381:
380:Nancy Mitford
377:
372:
367:
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361:
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345:
341:
336:
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329:
324:
320:
319:some dialects
316:
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217:lady mayoress
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57:
53:
49:
45:
41:
40:
33:
26:
22:
1197:Noble titles
1096:
1001:
986:
971:. Retrieved
967:the original
952:
943:
934:
927:. Retrieved
912:
906:
897:
893:
883:
874:
864:
839:
769:
758:
746:. Retrieved
733:
695:aristocrats
687:is known as
677:Commonwealth
674:
664:
659:
653:
648:
632:
623:
613:
604:post nominal
595:
585:
580:
576:
572:
560:
552:
550:
545:
526:feudal baron
523:
518:
492:
475:
461:
443:
440:Robin Lakoff
420:
403:
376:police court
368:
356:lunch ladies
344:mail carrier
337:
332:
326:
302:
294:
286:
273:
262:
251:
240:
231:
221:
194:
189:Tate Gallery
182:
159:
151:
139:
131:
126:
97:feudal baron
78:
60:
38:
37:
36:
900:(2): 35–52.
641:Lady Chapel
620:Virgin Mary
602:, with the
503:viscountess
495:marchioness
480:Old English
472:blood royal
468:Middle Ages
396:C. S. Lewis
392:lower class
384:U vs. non-U
209:gentlewoman
201:set phrases
129:Old English
95:, Scottish
67:family name
32:Gentlewoman
1181:Categories
929:26 January
794:required.)
725:References
681:Asantehene
622:, usually
577:Lady Smith
416:prostitute
352:tea ladies
213:first lady
1106:Masculine
658:Goddess,
649:hlǣfdigan
452:reclaimed
412:euphemism
311:gentleman
199:" and in
146:, "loaf,
123:Etymology
56:gentleman
1082:Mistress
1062:Goodwife
1055:Feminine
973:24 April
707:See also
660:The Lady
645:genitive
637:Lady Day
625:Our Lady
557:commoner
538:marquess
507:baroness
499:countess
478:; since
408:vagabond
400:Holloway
315:vocative
222:In many
197:landlady
187:, 1888 (
134:hlǣfdige
113:marquess
80:suo jure
75:nobility
1153:Neutral
1123:Esquire
1113:Goodman
936:chiefs.
829::
683:of the
618:of the
565:baronet
559:, e.g.
517:, e.g.
515:dowager
410:) is a
404:ladies'
265:Signora
260:Italian
249:Spanish
154:hlāford
103:, or a
93:baronet
71:peerage
1212:Gentry
1187:Titles
1128:Master
1049:titles
1008:
993:
920:
823:
765:"lady"
693:Yoruba
656:Wiccan
569:knight
323:mister
305:Señora
297:Madame
284:Polish
271:German
254:Señora
243:Madame
238:French
105:knight
48:polite
1087:Madam
788:
748:9 May
635:. In
630:Latin
616:title
596:Lady
530:laird
488:earls
333:ma'am
328:madam
170:Usage
164:dough
148:bread
115:, or
101:laird
44:woman
1143:Lord
1138:Sire
1097:Lady
1092:Dame
1072:Miss
1006:ISBN
991:ISBN
975:2024
931:2016
918:ISBN
836:Lady
750:2024
718:Dame
713:Girl
699:and
639:and
600:, LT
590:and
534:duke
482:and
289:Pani
277:Frau
215:and
160:dig-
142:hlāf
117:earl
109:duke
87:and
52:lord
39:Lady
23:and
1133:Sir
1067:Mrs
838:".
780:doi
567:or
536:or
528:or
505:or
421:In
366:.
233:Mrs
181:'s
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1161:Mx
1118:Mr
1077:Ms
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957:.
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
