leading lady

[ lee-ding ]

noun

1. an actress who plays the principal female role in a motion picture or play.

Word History and Origins

Origin of leading lady¹

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

This episode is mostly taken up by Big’s ugly and sparse funeral at the Greene Naftali Gallery and not so much on the streets of New York City, which, as everyone knows, is the show’s other leading lady.

From Eater

Khristen, like the leading ladies of many of Williams’s other works, is passive, almost blank.

From Outside Online

Now here was a new series that elevated Byrne to leading lady status.

From The Daily Beast

Rotimi is so inspired by his real-life chemistry with Mdee, he recently cast her to play his leading lady in the video “Love Somebody.”

From Essence.com

She's a steely ingenue, a fair-faced heroine, a leading lady.

From The Daily Beast

The woman is Marie, played by Bérénice Bejo—or, if you prefer, the at last colored-in leading lady from The Artist.

From The Daily Beast

Foster is the first leading lady to be dressed in custom Armani.

From The Daily Beast

Plaza opened up to The Daily Beast about her rise to leading lady, her health scare, filming awkward sex scenes, and more.

From The Daily Beast

But it wasn't until after Bridesmaids that she was coronated Hollywood's next big leading lady.

From The Daily Beast

He was then ten years old, and deep in love with the leading lady.

From Project Gutenberg

Bedstemor, reinstated in her former rle of leading lady of the Gaard, was in a state of feverish excitement.

From Project Gutenberg

Rosalie came as a leading lady, and one Heinrich Dorn came as musical director.

From Project Gutenberg

On this our leading lady chose to pause, seizing the opportunity to study the hang of her new dressing-gown.

From Project Gutenberg

You could coax Laurie Armitage to help us and then, too, youd be leading lady.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• heroine