yes ma’am

Since at least the late 1600s, ma’am has been a contraction of madame, a formal address for a woman of superior social status. Madame, for the word-curious, is borrowed from French, in turn from the Latin mea domina, or “my lady.”

By the 1800s, yes ma’am was well-established in the US as a polite affirmation, particularly expected of younger children when questioned by mothers, schoolteachers, or other older female authority figures (e.g., Yes ma’am, I’ll sit down now.)

The expression has become especially associated with the English of the South or American West, where it in many instances became shortened to yes’m.

In the 20th century, yes ma’am extended as a humorous or friendly way to express enthusiastic agreement with someone regardless of gender (e.g., Yes ma’am, she’s a great car!). And, while originating as a polite affirmation, yes ma’am also evolved into a rude remark.

A response of yes ma’am, apparently, had become so expected of children or inferiors that they came to issue it reflexively, insincerely, or forcibly (e.g., Yes ma’am, I’ll be absolutely sure to get on it right away) uttered under the breath or with an idea.

And so, to yes ma’am (and no ma’am) someone is to tell them what they want to hear so they will leave you alone. A mother, for instance, may scold a snide child, “Don’t you ‘yes ma’am’ me” if she feels the child’s affirmation is empty.