madame

American  

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

noun

(often initial capital letter)

plural

mesdames

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

The menu features an eclectic mix of luxurious-feeling dishes: a croissant madame with kimchi, French onion soup with duck stock, a smoked cod and chili oil-topped bagel.

From Seattle Times • May 13, 2023

California Cooking With Jessica Holmes This new episode gets ready for the holidays with croque madame for brunch.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 18, 2020

Danielle says, “No, madame, I am from Belgium.”

From "Lucky Broken Girl" by Ruth Behar