leading lady
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of leading lady
First recorded in 1870–75
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Though Kelly is not nearly as funny as Cameron Diaz in “The Holiday,” she’s a leading lady both radiant and relatable.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 3, 2025
Crawford’s rise from chorus line to leading lady was driven by the actress’s commitment to her movie-star dreams.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025
Which is to say that if the system won’t do it for her, Molly Gordon will simply make herself a leading lady.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 24, 2025
At 19, she was a Broadway leading lady in "Next to Normal."
From Salon • Apr. 17, 2025
We’ll take the leading lady first, who, I believe, would prefer to be briefly described as a languid, sophisticated type.
From "Franny and Zooey" by J. D. Salinger
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
