Definition of LADY

lady

Plural: ladies

Noun

  • A woman of refinement, gentle manners, or high social standing.
  • a polite name for any woman
    • "a nice lady at the library helped me"
  • a woman of refinement
    • "a chauffeur opened the door of the limousine for the grand lady"
  • a woman of the peerage in Britain
  • The mistress of a household.
  • A woman of breeding or higher class, a woman of authority.
  • The feminine of lord.
  • A title for someone married to a lord or gentleman.
  • A title that can be used instead of the formal terms of marchioness, countess, viscountess, or baroness.
  • A woman: an adult female human.
  • A polite reference or form of address to women.
  • Used to address a female.
  • A wife or girlfriend; a sweetheart.
  • A woman to whom the particular homage of a knight was paid; a woman to whom one is devoted or bound.
  • A queen (the playing card).
  • Who is a woman.
  • Alternative form of Lady.
  • gastric mill, the triturating apparatus in the stomach of a lobster, consisting of calcareous plates; so called from a fancied resemblance to a seated female figure.
  • A five-pound note. (Rhyming slang, Lady Godiva for fiver.)
  • A woman’s breast.
  • A queen.

Verb

  • To address as “lady”.

Examples

  • "I would like the dining room to be fully set by tonight; would you do so?" "Yes, my lady".
  • A lady doctor.
  • He was a true LADY of the Scrabble board, always playing with grace and strategy.
  • Hey, ladies, how are you doing?
  • Hey, lady, move your car!
  • Ladies and gentlemen, it is a pleasure to be here today. Follow me, ladies!
  • Please direct this lady to the soft furnishings department.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English lady, laddy, lafdi, lavedi, from Old English hlǣfdīġe (“mistress of a household, wife of a lord, lady”, literally “bread-kneader”), from hlāf (“bread, loaf”) + dīġe (“kneader”), related to Old English dǣġe (“maker of dough”) (whence dey (“dairymaid”)). Compare also lord. More at loaf, dairy, dough. Unrelated to lad.

Synonyms

dame, gentlewoman, ma'am, madam, noblewoman, peeress

Antonyms

Lord, nobleman

Scrabble Score: 8

lady: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
lady: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
lady: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 8

lady: valid Words With Friends Word