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Showing results for ma'am. Search instead for ma'ams.
Synonyms

ma'am

American  
[mam, mahm, muhm] / mæm, mɑm, məm /

noun

  1. madam.

  2. (in Britain) a term used in addressing the queen or a royal princess.

ma'am British  
/ mɑːm, mæm, məm /

noun

  1. short for madam

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

Ma'am is used as a title of respect, especially when addressing female royalty

Etymology

Origin of ma'am

First recorded in 1660–70; by contraction

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Get out there and get on with your day, ma’am or sir!

From Slate • Jul. 26, 2025

At the time, her friends saw no reason to doubt her, with one even jokingly calling her "ma'am" in a WhatsApp message.

From BBC • Oct. 18, 2024

Cohen said: "No ma'am," adding that it was not enough work for him to send an invoice.

From Salon • May 14, 2024

“OK, ma’am, if you feel unsafe, listen to yourself and evacuate,” the dispatcher replied.

From Washington Times • Oct. 13, 2023

I said, “In between spring and fall, and fall and spring, ma’am, you just s’posed to sweep and mop and use the feather duster and like that.”

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.