madam

Word family

mad·am /ˈmædəm/ noun

1 TALK TO somebodyWOMAN formal used to address a woman in a polite way, especially a customer in a shop 女士，夫人〔尤用作对商店女顾客的礼貌称呼〕 SYN American English ma'am

Are you being served, Madam?

有人接待您吗，夫人？

2. Dear Madam formalTCM used at the beginning of a business letter to a woman, when you do not know her name 亲爱的女士〔商业信函的抬头，不知对方姓名时使用〕

Examples from the Corpus

Dear Madam• It is a house of harmony to my hand. Dear madam!• One was considerably shorter than the other. Dear Madam, Since our extraordinary conversation I have thought of nothing else.

3. Madam President/Ambassador etc PGTALK TO somebodyused to address a woman who has an important official position 总统/大使阁下等〔对身居要职的女性的称呼〕

4. [countableC]SY a woman who is in charge of a brothel 鸨母，老鸨

5. a (proper) little madam British EnglishBrE informalTELL/ORDER somebody TO DO something a young girl who is very confident and who expects other people to do everything she wants （十足的）大小姐〔指要别人完全听从自己吩咐的自以为是的年轻女子〕

Examples from the Corpus

a (proper) little madam• She was madam, all right, a proper little madam.

Examples from the Corpus

madam• How do you do, Madam?• But, anyway, I said yes, because I thought I could escape from him easier than from madam.• She wanted to be that kind of madam.• Or do you prefer whisky-and-soda, madam?• As the madam, Daly received the £10 door money.• She was madam, all right, a proper little madam.

From Longman Business Dictionary

MadamMad·am /ˈmædəm/ noun

1a polite way of addressing a woman, such as a customer in a shop

Can I help you Madam?

2Dear Madam used at the beginning of a business letter to a woman whose name you do not know

3Madam chairman/ambassador/president etc the title used when addressing a woman who has an important position

Origin madam

(1200-1300) Old French ma dame “my lady”

mad·am noun

Chinese

Syllable

Corpus