plural ladies
often attributive
1
a
: a woman having proprietary rights or authority especially as a feudal superior
b
: a woman receiving the homage or devotion of a knight or lover
2
capitalized
: virgin mary
—usually used with Our
3
4
a
: wife
b
5
a
: any of various titled women in Great Britain
—used as the customary title of (1) a marchioness, countess, viscountess, or baroness or (2) the wife of a knight, baronet, member of the peerage, or one having the courtesy title of lord and used as a courtesy title for the daughter of a duke, marquess, or earl
b
: a woman who is a member of an order of knighthood compare dame
Examples of lady in a Sentence
Her mother was always telling her to act like a lady.
He bumped into some lady walking to the bus stop.
He helped a little old lady cross the street.
Recent Examples on the Web
As the ladies start filing into Sai’s dodgeball event in a various states of athletic dress, Brynn decides to spill the beans and tells Sai … and Jenna … and Racquel … and Ubah.
—
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 12 Nov. 2024
The funny thing is that the designs Mr. Reed has in mind for these ladies are as derivative and unoriginal as his monologues, and that’s kind of the point.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 7 Nov. 2024
Like all first ladies, Melania launched an initiative to supposedly improve the lives of a certain segment of the American public.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024
The governor and his first lady have been married since 1997 and share four children — Sophia, Jonah, Max and Reuben — together.
—Rebecca Aizin, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lady 
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Brian Moylan, Vulture, 12 Nov. 2024
The funny thing is that the designs Mr. Reed has in mind for these ladies are as derivative and unoriginal as his monologues, and that’s kind of the point.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 7 Nov. 2024
Like all first ladies, Melania launched an initiative to supposedly improve the lives of a certain segment of the American public.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024
The governor and his first lady have been married since 1997 and share four children — Sophia, Jonah, Max and Reuben — together.
—Rebecca Aizin, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lady
Articles Related to lady
Dictionary Entries Near lady
Cite this Entry
“Lady.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lady. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lady
noun
la·dy
ˈlād-ē 
plural ladies
1
: a woman of property, rank, or authority
especially
: one having a standing equivalent to that of a lord
—used as a title
2
capitalized
: virgin mary
—usually used with Our
3
: a woman of high social position
4
5
Etymology
Old English hlæfdige, from hlāf "loaf of bread" and -dīge, a form of a root word meaning "to knead dough" — related to loaf, lord see Word History at lord
Word Origin
The word lady is nowadays generally used as a polite term for a woman. In the past, however, lady was used primarily for "a woman of a high social class." The Old English ancestor of lady was hlæfdige, which came from two other words. One was hlāf, meaning "loaf of bread." The other was -dīge, a form of a root word meaning "to knead dough." But the word hlæfdige was not used in Old English for an actual bread maker. It was used instead to refer to the woman in charge of maids and of a household. Only very rich and powerful women, members of the nobility, had maids and large households, so a lady was owed much respect. The title lady is still used in Great Britain for a woman who is a member of the nobility.
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