ma'am

C2+ Topic:People & Society

Also spelled maam and marm

US /mæm/ UK /mæm/ See IPA manual

Homophones

mam /mæm/

Minimal pairs

Sounds like mom /æ/ vs /ɑ/

Meanings

1

noun
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.
2

noun
A polite and formal way to address a woman.

Ma'am, will you be attending the dinner this evening?
3

noun
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.
4

noun
A title for a married woman.

That is Ma'am Smith, the matriarch of the Smith families.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a form of address for a... 'mmarm

4 noun · a title for a married woman. 'er indoorsball and chainbetter halfboss bride dutchfrowgeezer

Word family

Derived forms grandma'ammamsirmarmmemsahibno'mschoolma'amschoolma'amishschoolmarmschoolmarmishschoolmarmishlyschoolmarmishnessschoolmarmy

Related forms ma'amselle

Etymology

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.

Topics

People & Society Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

External links

# ma'am

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /mæm/
**IPA (UK):** /mæm/

## Meanings
1. A form of address for a woman: contraction of madam.
2. A polite and formal way to address a woman.
3. A respectful term of address to a woman of higher rank or position.
4. A title for a married woman.

## Examples
- 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.
- Ma'am, will you be attending the dinner this evening?
- – Sergeant, have the platoon in formation and ready for inspection at 0800. – Aye aye, ma'am.
- That is Ma'am Smith, the matriarch of the Smith families.

## Derived Forms
- grandma'am
- mamsir
- marm
- memsahib
- no'm
- schoolma'am
- schoolma'amish
- schoolmarm
- schoolmarmish
- schoolmarmishly
- schoolmarmishness
- schoolmarmy

## Related Forms
- ma'amselle

## Etymology
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.

## Topics
- People & Society
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- Register & Style

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