ma'am
Americannoun
Usage
Ma'am is used as a title of respect, especially when addressing female royalty
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of ma'am
First recorded in 1660–70; by contraction
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.
See Examples For:
When asked by Prof Mason whether he would describe the distance between Nicole and Xielo as being a "significant" distance, he said: "On the balance of probabilities, yes ma'am."
From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2026
Get out there and get on with your day, ma’am or sir!
From Slate ● Jul. 26, 2025
“No ma’am, I think we still need conversations,” said Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, when asked if she would vote to nominate Jordan.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2023
“OK, ma’am, if you feel unsafe, listen to yourself and evacuate,” the dispatcher replied.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 13, 2023
“I just sat and held it softly till Mrs. Hummel came with the doctor. He said it was dead, and looked at Heinrich and Minna, who have sore throats. ‘Scarlet fever, ma’am.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
He brings out her worst self and yes ma’ams her most divalicious impulses.
From Slate ● Apr. 18, 2013
Griffin — a military brat raised to use yes sirs and yes ma’ams in his speech and to live a life of discipline and character — continued his truth campaign by proclaiming two more facts.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 25, 2012
“Please, ma’am,” said Alyce, who had learned that ma’ams and sirs served her well even with cooks and stableboys when asking favors.
From "The Midwife's Apprentice" by Karen Cushman
Every other professor was happy with their yes, sirs and no, ma’ams, but Green had never been impressed with me.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
Old Mizzou mentally added another exception to his sweeping rule about "grass widders and school ma'ams."
From The Westerners by Stewart Edward White
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
