ma'am
nounEtymology
The noun is a contraction of madam, and represents a regional pronunciation of that word in the United Kingdom. The verb is derived from the noun.
Definitions
A form of address for a woman
A form of address for a woman: contraction of madam.
- Madam me no Madam, but learn to retrench your vvords; and ſay Mam; as yes Mam, and no Mam, as other Ladies VVomen do. Madam! 'tis a year in pronouncing.
- Gad take my Soul, Mame, I hope I ſhall pleaſe you now— […] I vovv to Gad, Mame, I vvas ſo taken up vvith my good Fortune, I did not obſerve the extream Fancy of your Ladiſhip's VVedding-Cloaths— […]
- O yes Mem, I'll vouch any thing for your Ladyſhip's ſervice, be vvhat it vvill.
A polite and formal way to address a woman.
- Ma'am, will you be attending the dinner this evening?
A respectful term of address to a woman of higher rank or position.
- – Sergeant, have the platoon in formation and ready for inspection at 0800. – Aye aye, ma'am.
›+ 3 more definitionsshow fewer
A title for a married woman.
- That is Ma'am Smith, the matriarch of the Smith families.
- Yes, my dravving-room is an abſolute regiſter-office for candidate actors, and poets vvithout character;—then to be continually alarmed vvith Miſſes and Ma'ams piping hiſteric changes on Juliets and Dorindas, Pollys and Ophelias; […]
(US, education) A female schoolteacher
(US, education) A female schoolteacher; a schoolmarm.
To address (a woman) as "ma'am".
The neighborhood
- neighborma'amselle
Derived
gori mem, grandma'am, 'm, ma'am sandwich, ma'am, this is an Arby's, ma'am, this is a Wendy's, mamsir, marm, memsahib, no'm, schoolma'amish, schoolmarmish, schoolma'am, schoolmarm, schoolmarmishly, schoolmarmishness, schoolmarmy, thank-you-ma'am, wham, bam, thank you ma'am, yas'm, yes'm, yessum, yes ma'am
Vish — recursive loop
No curated loop yet for ma'am. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.
sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA