first lady

[furst leee-dee]

noun

plural

first ladies 

1. Often First Lady the wife of the U.S. president, or the wife of a current governor or mayor.

2. Often First Lady the wife of the head of any country.

   the First Lady of Brazil.

3. the foremost woman in any art, profession, or the like.

   Helen Hayes, the first lady of American theater.

first lady

noun

1. (in the US) the wife or official hostess of a chief executive, esp of a state governor or a president

2. a woman considered to be at the top of her profession or art

   the first lady of jazz

Word History and Origins

Origin of first lady¹

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

The first lady said that Putin “responded in writing, signaling a willingness to engage with me directly, and outlining details regarding the Ukrainian children residing in Russia.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In it, the first lady pleads with Putin to protect children, writing that doing so "will do more than serve Russia alone" and "will serve humanity itself".

Read more on BBC

General Assembly to deliver a belligerent and lengthy speech when the escalator he and the first lady were riding stopped abruptly, forcing them to walk the rest of the way up.

Read more on Salon

South Korea has arrested the leader of the controversial Unification Church over allegations the organisation bribed South Korea's former first lady in exchange for business and political favours.

Read more on BBC

She said the decision was taken "out of an abundance of caution" adding that the president and first lady "safely boarded the support helicopter".

Read more on BBC