madame

American  

[muh-dam, -dahm, ma-, mad-uhm, ma-dam] / məˈdæm, -ˈdɑm, mæ-, ˈmæd əm, maˈdam /

noun

(often initial capital letter)

mesdames plural

1. a French title of respect equivalent to “Mrs.”, used alone or prefixed to a woman's married name or title.

   Madame Curie.

2. (in English) a title of respect used in speaking to or of an older woman, especially one of distinction, who is not of American or British origin. Mme.

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madame British  

/ madam, ˈmædəm /

noun

1. a married Frenchwoman: usually used as a title equivalent to Mrs, and sometimes extended to older unmarried women to show respect and to women of other nationalities

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Etymology

Origin of madame

From French, dating back to 1590–1600; see origin at madam

Explanation

Madame is the way to address a French woman, as in Madame Curie. It’s officially for married women, like Mrs. in English, but it’s often used for any exotic woman, married and French or not. The title madame is sometimes used interchangeably with madam or ma'am, although usually the first one is intended for French-speakers. In Gustave Flaubert's novel Madame Bovary, the main character, Emma Bovary, is a married woman. Madame was originally used only to refer to or address women of high rank or royalty. In French, madame literally means "my lady."

Example Sentences

To mix it up, served with a fried egg on top and - voila - you have a croque madame.

From BBC • Jun. 27, 2025

The head witch in charge, Stevie Nicks, is front and center of Halsey's inspirations, calling her "the mystical madame herself" and impersonating Nicks' flowy outfit from Fleetwood Mac's "Rumors" album cover.

From Salon • Oct. 15, 2024

In addition to her pizza debut, Wood’s bakery will add French-inspired sandwiches, from a croque madame to a butter-and-ham baguette.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 6, 2024

To illustrate the pride of the French housewife dedicated to cleanliness, Sempé drew madame polishing the tracks of a railroad line that ran just outside her front gate.

From New York Times • Aug. 11, 2022

"But that's not my name, madame," I said, speaking as precisely as I could and stepping away from her.

From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison