a woman who is refined, polite, and well-spoken: She may be poor and have little education, but she's a real lady.
2.
a woman of high social position or economic class: She was born a lady and found it hard to adjust to her reduced circumstances.
3.
any woman; female (sometimes used in combination): the lady who answered the phone; a saleslady.
4.
(Used in direct address: often offensive in the singular): Ladies and gentlemen, welcome. Lady, out of my way, please.
5.
wife: The ambassador and his lady arrived late.
6.
Slang. a female lover or steady companion.
7.
(initial capital letter) (in Great Britain) the proper title of any woman whose husband is higher in rank than baronet or knight, or who is the daughter of a nobleman not lower than an earl (although the title is given by courtesy also to the wives of baronets and knights).
8.
a woman who has proprietary rights or authority, as over a manor; female feudal superior. Compare lord(def. 4).
9.
(initial capital letter) the Virgin Mary.
10.
a woman who is the object of chivalrous devotion.
11.
(usually initial capital letter)
a.
an attribute or abstraction personified as a woman; a designation of an allegorical figure as feminine: Lady Fortune; Lady Virtue.
b.
a title prefixed to the name of a goddess: Lady Venus.
–adjective
12.
Sometimes Offensive. being a lady; female: a lady reporter.
13.
of a lady; ladylike; feminine.
[Origin: bef. 900; ME ladi(e), earlier lavedi, OE hlǣfdīge, hlǣfdige, perh. orig. meaning “loaf-kneader,” equiv. to hlāfloaf+ -dīge, -dige, var. of dǣge kneader (see dough; cf. ON deigja maid); see lord]
—Related forms
la·dy·hood, noun
la·dy·ish, adjective
la·dy·ish·ly, adverb
la·dy·ish·ness, noun
la·dy·less, adjective
—Usage note In the meanings “refined, polite woman” and “woman of high social position” the noun lady is the parallel of gentleman. As forms of address, both nouns are used in the plural (Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your cooperation), but only lady occurs in the singular. Except in chivalrous, literary, or similar contexts (Lady, spurn me not), this singular is now usually perceived as rude or at least insensitive: Where do you want the new air conditioner, lady? Although lady is still found in phrases or compounds referring to occupation or the like (cleaning lady; forelady; saleslady), this use seems to be diminishing. The use of lady as a modifier (lady doctor; lady artist) suggests that it is unusual to find a woman in the role specified. Many women are offended by this use, and it too is becoming less common. An approach that is increasingly followed is to avoid specifying the sex of the performer or practitioner. Person or a sex-neutral term can be substituted for lady, as cleaner for cleaning lady, supervisor for forelady, and salesperson or salesclerk for saleslady. When circumstances make it relevant to specify sex, woman not lady is used, the parallel term being man: Men doctors outnumber women doctors on the hospital staff by more than three to one.See also -person, -woman.
A well-mannered and considerate woman with high standards of proper behavior.
A woman regarded as proper and virtuous.
A well-behaved young girl.
A woman to whom a man is romantically attached.
Informal A wife.
Used as the title for the wife or widow of a knight or baronet.
Used as a form of address for a marchioness, countess, viscountess, baroness, or baronetess.
Used as a form of address for the wife or widow of a baron.
Used as a courtesy title for the daughter of a duke, a marquis, or an earl.
Used as a courtesy title for the wife of a younger son of a duke or marquis.
A woman who is the head of a household.
A woman, especially when spoken of or to in a polite way.
A woman to whom a man is romantically attached.
Informal A wife.
Used as the title for the wife or widow of a knight or baronet.
Used as a form of address for a marchioness, countess, viscountess, baroness, or baronetess.
Used as a form of address for the wife or widow of a baron.
Used as a courtesy title for the daughter of a duke, a marquis, or an earl.
Used as a courtesy title for the wife of a younger son of a duke or marquis.
LadyChiefly British A general feminine title of nobility and other rank, specifically:
Used as the title for the wife or widow of a knight or baronet.
Used as a form of address for a marchioness, countess, viscountess, baroness, or baronetess.
Used as a form of address for the wife or widow of a baron.
Used as a courtesy title for the daughter of a duke, a marquis, or an earl.
Used as a courtesy title for the wife of a younger son of a duke or marquis.
Lady The Virgin Mary. Usually used with Our.
Slang Cocaine.
[Middle English, mistress of a household, from Old English hlǣfdige; see dheigh- in Indo-European roots.]
Usage Note: Lady is normally used as a parallel to gentleman to emphasize norms expected in polite society or in situations requiring courtesies: Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please. I believe the lady in front of the counter was here before me. The attributive use of lady, as in lady doctor, is offensive and outdated. When the sex of the person is relevant, the preferred modifier is woman or female. Twice as many members of the Usage Panel in our 1994 survey preferred female and male to woman and man as modifiers in the sentence President Clinton interviewed both ______ and ______ candidates for the position of Attorney General.
M.E. lafdi, lavede, ladi, from O.E. hlæfdige "mistress of a household, wife of a lord," lit. "one who kneads bread," from hlaf "bread" (see loaf) + -dige "maid," related to dæge "maker of dough" (see dey (1); also compare lord). Not found outside Eng. except where borrowed from it. Sense of "woman of superior position in society" is c.1205; "woman whose manners and sensibilities befit her for high rank in society" is from 1861 (ladylike in this sense is from 1586). Meaning "woman as an object of chivalrous love" is from c.1374. Used commonly as an address to any woman since 1890s. Applied in O.E. to the Holy Virgin, hence many extended usages in plant names, etc., from gen. sing. hlæfdigan, which in M.E. merged with the nom., so that lady- often represents (Our) Lady's; e.g. ladybug (1699; cf. Ger. cognate Marienkäfer) which now is called ladybird beetle (1704) in Britain, through aversion to the word bug, which there has overtones of sodomy. Ladies' man first recorded 1784.
a more polite form of woman Example: Tell that child to stand up and let that lady sit down; The lady in the flower shop said that roses are expensive just now; Ladies' shoes are upstairs in this shop; (also adjective) a lady doctor
Arabic:
سَيِّدَه، إمْرأه
Chinese (Simplified):
女士
Chinese (Traditional):
女士
Czech:
dáma, paní; ženský
Danish:
dame; dame-; kvindelig
Dutch:
dame
Estonian:
proua
Finnish:
nainen, rouva
French:
dame; femme
German:
die Dame, weiblich
Greek:
κυρία
Hungarian:
hölgy
Icelandic:
dama, kona
Indonesian:
wanita
Italian:
signora, donna
Japanese:
婦人
Korean:
여성
Latvian:
kundze; dāma
Lithuanian:
ponia, moteris
Norwegian:
dame, frue
Polish:
pani, dama
Portuguese (Brazil):
senhora, mulher
Portuguese (Portugal):
senhora
Romanian:
doamnă; femeie
Russian:
дама
Slovak:
dáma, pani; ženský
Slovenian:
gospa, ženska; ženski
Spanish:
señora, dama
Swedish:
dam
Turkish:
hanım
lady2[ˈleidi]noun
a woman of good manners and refined behaviour Example: Be quiet! Ladies do not shout in public.
Arabic:
سيِّدَه رفيعَة الشَّأن والسُّلوك
Chinese (Simplified):
贵妇人
Chinese (Traditional):
貴婦人
Czech:
dáma
Danish:
dame
Dutch:
dame
Estonian:
daam
Finnish:
hieno nainen
French:
dame
German:
die Dame
Greek:
κυρία, γυναίκα με τρόπους και αριστοκρατική συμπεριφο
Hungarian:
hölgy
Icelandic:
dama, háttvís kona
Indonesian:
wanita terhormat
Italian:
signora
Japanese:
淑女
Korean:
숙녀
Latvian:
lēdija; dāma
Lithuanian:
dama
Norwegian:
dame
Polish:
dama
Portuguese (Brazil):
senhora
Portuguese (Portugal):
senhora
Romanian:
doamnă
Russian:
дама, леди
Slovak:
dáma
Slovenian:
dama
Spanish:
dama
Swedish:
dam
Turkish:
hanımefendi
lady3[ˈleidi]noun
in the United Kingdom, used as the title of, or a name for, a woman of noble rank Example: Sir James and Lady Brown; lords and ladies
Lady Lake, FL (town, FIPS 37375) Location: 28.92776 N, 81.92892 W Population (1990): 8071 (4519 housing units) Area: 15.4 sq km (land), 0.3 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 32159
La"dy\, n.; pl. Ladies. [OE. ladi, l[ae]fdi, AS. hl?fdige, hl?fdie; AS. hl[=a]f loaf + a root of uncertain origin, possibly akin to E. dairy. See Loaf, and cf. Lord.]1. A woman who looks after the domestic affairs of a family; a mistress; the female head of a household. Agar, the handmaiden of Sara, whence comest thou, and whither goest thou? The which answered, Fro the face of Sara my lady. --Wyclif (Gen. xvi. 8.). 2. A woman having proprietary rights or authority; mistress; -- a feminine correlative of lord. "Lord or lady of high degree." --Lowell. Of all these bounds, even from this line to this, . . . We make thee lady. --Shak. 3. A woman to whom the particular homage of a knight was paid; a woman to whom one is devoted or bound; a sweetheart. The soldier here his wasted store supplies, And takes new valor from his lady's eyes. --Waller. 4. A woman of social distinction or position. In England, a title prefixed to the name of any woman whose husband is not of lower rank than a baron, or whose father was a nobleman not lower than an earl. The wife of a baronet or knight has the title of Lady by courtesy, but not by right. 5. A woman of refined or gentle manners; a well-bred woman; -- the feminine correlative of gentleman. 6. A wife; -- not now in approved usage. --Goldsmith. 7. (Zo["o]l.) The triturating apparatus in the stomach of a lobster; -- so called from a fancied resemblance to a seated female figure. It consists of calcareous plates. Ladies' man, a man who affects the society of ladies. Lady altar, an altar in a lady chapel. --Shipley. Lady chapel, a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Lady court, the court of a lady of the manor. Lady court, the court of a lady of the manor. Lady crab (Zo["o]l.), a handsomely spotted swimming crab (Platyonichus ocellatus) very common on the sandy shores of the Atlantic coast of the United States. Lady fern. (Bot.) See Female fern, under Female, and Illust. of Fern. Lady in waiting, a lady of the queen's household, appointed to wait upon or attend the queen. Lady Mass, a Mass said in honor of the Virgin Mary. --Shipley. Lady of the manor, a lady having jurisdiction of a manor; also, the wife of a manor lord. Lady's maid, a maidservant who dresses and waits upon a lady. --Thackeray. Our Lady, the Virgin Mary.
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Audio Help [ley-dee] Pronunciation Key noun, plural -dies, adjective 
