September 13, 2009
- lady (noun)
- \LAY-dee\
- What does it mean?
- 1 : a woman of property, rank, or authority; especially : one having a standing equivalent to that of a lord2 capital : Virgin Mary — usually used with Our3 : a woman of high social position4 : an adult female person5 : a married woman
- How do you use it?
- Although the words "woman" and "lady" both mean "a female person," "lady" is often considered the more polite term.
- Are you a word wiz?
"Lady" is a very old word that traces back to before the twelfth century. Which one of these activities do you think was reflected in the root word of "lady"?
The Old English ancestor of "lady" was "hlæfdige," which came from "hlaf" ("loaf," "bread") and "-dige," akin to "d(ge" ("bread maker"), which is ultimately a form of "dag" ("dough"). You might have expected the word "hlæfdige" to refer to the kitchen help. But instead "hlæfdige" was used to refer to the woman in charge of maids and of a household, rather than to an actual bread maker. Only rich and powerful women, often members of 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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