first lady

[ furst leee-dee ]

noun

, plural first la·dies.

1. Often First Lady. the wife of the U.S. president, or the wife of a current governor or mayor.
2. Often First Lady. the wife of the head of any country:

   the First Lady of Brazil.

3. the foremost woman in any art, profession, or the like:

   Helen Hayes, the first lady of American theater.

first lady

noun

1. (in the US) the wife or official hostess of a chief executive, esp of a state governor or a president
2. a woman considered to be at the top of her profession or art

   the first lady of jazz

Word History and Origins

Origin of first lady¹

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

At the time, first lady Michelle Obama praised Jamison as a “an amazing, phenomenal, ‘fly’ woman.”

From Los Angeles Times

“She liked all the accoutrements that go with being first lady and living in the White House,” Ms Bennett told People magazine in 2021.

From BBC

The president said he would set up an office to oversee the first lady's official duties, but rejected a call for an investigation into her activities.

From BBC

I was “first lady” of a small country church congregation and I wanted more.

From Salon

The third moderator was Maria Shriver in Michigan, niece of JFK and former first lady of California under Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

From BBC