madam

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A polite way of addressing a woman, especially a customer.

   The sales assistant smiled and said, "It suits you, madam."

2. 2
   noun

   A woman who runs a brothel.

   After she grew too old to work as a prostitute, she became a madam.

From Middle English madame, from Old French madame, from ma (“my”) + dame (“lady”), from post-classical Latin mea domina. Doublet of Madonna.

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