ma'am

American  

[mam, mahm, muhm] / mæm, mɑm, məm /

noun

• ma'ams
  plural

1. madam.

2. (in Britain) a term used in addressing the queen or a royal princess.

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ma'am British  

/ mɑːm, mæm, məm /

noun

1. short for madam

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Usage

Ma'am is used as a title of respect, especially when addressing female royalty

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• ma'ams
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of ma'am

First recorded in 1660–70; by contraction

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ma'am ma'ams

“You’re following us, ma’am, we are doing an operation,” the agent says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 10, 2025

Get out there and get on with your day, ma’am or sir!

From Slate ● Jul. 26, 2025

A man with a tattoo that swirls across his face shouts, "Where you from, ma'am?"

From BBC ● Feb. 27, 2025

Cohen said: "No ma'am," adding that it was not enough work for him to send an invoice.

From Salon ● May 14, 2024

“I know ’e’s swollen, ma’am, but it’s ’im!” piped up Scabior.

From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling

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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Related Words

• madame

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