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əm noun, plural mes·dames 
[mey-dam, -dahm] , for 1; mad·ams for 2, 3.
[mey-dam, -dahm] , for 1; mad·ams for 2, 3. 1.
( often initial capital letter ) a polite term of address to a woman, originally used only to a woman of rank or authority: Madam President; May I help you, madam?
2.
the woman in charge of a household: Is the madam at home?
3.
the woman in charge of a house of prostitution.
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Mesdames
is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
| a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare. |
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
noun, plural mes·dames [mey-dam, -dahm; French mey-dam] . ( often initial capital letter )
[mey-dam, -dahm; French mey-dam] . ( often initial capital letter ) 1.
a French title of respect equivalent to “Mrs.”, used alone or prefixed to a woman's married name or title: Madame Curie.
2.
(in English) a title of respect used in speaking to or of an older woman, especially one of distinction, who is not of American or British origin. Abbreviation: Mme.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To mesdames
Collins
World English Dictionary
madam (ˈmædəm) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n , pl (for sense 1) madams, mesdames | |
| 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. | informal (Brit) a precocious or pompous little girl |
| 4. | informal (South African) the madam the lady of the house |
| [C13: from Old French ma dame my lady] | |
| madame (ˈmædəm, French madam) | |
| —n , pl mesdames | |
| a married Frenchwoman: usually used as a title equivalent to Mrs, and sometimes extended to older unmarried women to show respect and to women of other nationalities | |
| [C17: from French. See | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
madam
c.1300, from O.Fr. ma dame, lit. "my lady," from L. mea domina (cf. madonna). Meaning "female owner or manager of a brothel" is first attested 1871.
madame
1599, see madam, which is an earlier borrowing of the same Fr. phrase. Originally a title of respect for a woman of rank, now given to any married woman. OED recommends madam as an Eng. title, madame in ref. to foreign women.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Slang Dictionary
madam definition
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Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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