570:
may be used to address a woman with whom one is not familiar. The term is "meant to convey respect and graciousness lightly salted with deference." For example, waiters, store clerks, or police officers may use the term. Unlike
579:
tends to be used for older women, which is one reason some dislike the term. Others dislike the term for other reasons, such as the distance it created between the speaker and the person addressed; the "whiff of
682:, ingrained in military culture, is distinct from the American corporate or civilian setting, where most co-workers refer to each other by first name and use of formal titles is considered awkward. A 2017
1185:
422:
or female spouse of a
Governor General on second and subsequent reference (after "Your Excellency" or "Excellency" is used on initial reference). Female members of the
1252:
540:
advises U.S. diplomats to "refer to a female ambassador by her last name (Ambassador Jones) to avoid confusion and ensure that she receives her due respect."
329:
1349:
337:
896:
266:
as "Ma'am" with the
British short pronunciation (rhyming with "jam") for the remainder of a conversation. A letter to the Queen may begin with
1120:
981:
313:
1052:
683:
1364:
690:, "it is common to hear young to middle-aged women say, 'Don't call me ma'am,' as it is seen as a title reserved for older women."
529:
345:
1441:
600:
are "all-purpose titles for direct address, as a foolproof way of conveying the respect due to people whose names escape you."
1332:
317:
1065:
U.S. Department of
Justice: Office of the Inspector General: Semiannual Report to Congress, October 1, 1999 - March 31, 2000
1320:
1136:
819:
697:, "ma'am" is a proper response when coming to attention to a female officer or chief warrant officer calling the roll.
1590:
757:
363:" in anticipation of a woman joining the court. Plaques on chamber doorways reading "Mr. Justice" were removed after
263:
1286:
355:
In the United States, between the early 19th century and 1980, justices of the
Supreme Court were formally called
620:
616:
450:
349:
1205:
1268:
297:
1434:
1103:
446:
1485:
1165:
655:
419:
242:
900:
1023:
1010:
537:
525:
1531:
612:
407:
1304:
1024:
Frances
Perkins' Disappearance from American Public Administration: A Genealogy of Marginalization
554:
663:
423:
1235:
1005:
874:
1427:
687:
608:
439:
364:
21:
709:
is commonly used in
English for French-speaking women, e.g. "President and Madame De Gaulle."
584:" implied; and "dismissive, stiff and drab" associations. Others, such as etiquette authority
1370:
470:
384:
1556:
640:
387:
disliked the title, since she was unmarried, and announced that she would simply be called
368:
275:
28:
8:
921:
1450:
849:
659:
1398:
Madame Chiang Kai-shek and Miss Emma Mills: China's First Lady and Her
American Friend
1064:
790:
639:
forces. The word is also used by junior personnel to address female superiors in the
545:
411:
1148:
917:
359:. In 1980, the title was dropped in "to avoid the awkward appellation 'Madam Justice
380:
161:
138:
128:
97:
71:
41:
1419:
1516:
733:
694:
341:
236:
182:
1569:
729:
636:
458:
301:
1584:
585:
954:
827:
1291:
1273:
765:
581:
454:
333:
259:
1121:
Behind the Scenes of Sandra Day O'Connor's First Days on the
Supreme Court
520:. In some countries, the wife of an ambassador also may be referred to as
671:
1564:
725:
721:
517:
493:(or according to title), and female High Court judges are addressed as
957:, Office of the Chief of Protocol, United States Department of State.
632:
505:
943:
Madame
President: The Extraordinary Journey of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
631:"Ma'am" is commonly used as a verbal address for female officers of
1465:
457:" or "Sir" (if male) or 'Madam' (if female). A female judge of the
305:
489:. While in court, however, District Court judges are addressed as
1526:
674:
to a female superior. The use of formal modes of address such as
670:
is an appropriate greeting for junior personnel when rendering a
532:. In countries where the wives of ambassadors may also be titled
1055:, American Presidency Project, UC Santa Barbara (March 1, 1994).
700:
1053:
Briefing by the Vice
President and Attorney General Janet Reno
603:
There are regional differences in use; in the United States,
544:
is an appropriate formal mode of spoken address for a female
231:
170:
124:
112:
86:
56:
1151:, Supreme Court of Canada (last accessed February 19, 2021).
1078:
Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi's Life, Times, and Rise to Power
1546:
1541:
1500:
1495:
1475:
1470:
1186:
Miss Manners: Flowery courtesy titles are not really needed
480:
103:
1139:, Florida Supreme Court (last accessed February 19, 2021).
850:"Madame - Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9 édition"
1536:
1521:
1480:
438:. The same style is used for other female members of the
147:
80:
50:
758:"Madame — Meaning & Definition for UK English"
820:"Ma'am — Meaning & Definition for UK English"
1350:
Translating Military Culture to the Civilian Workplace
1184:
Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin & Jacobina Martin,
984:, Canadian Heritage (last accessed February 19, 2021).
740:
approximated the Chinese respectful forms of address.
516:
is an appropriate formal mode of address for a female
418:
is an appropriate title in conversation with a female
558:
although titles "Mrs." or "Ms." may be used instead.
330:
speaker of the United States House of Representatives
20:
This article is about the title. For other uses, see
1353:, U.S. Army Human Resources Command (June 14, 2017).
1321:
Personnel—General Salutes, Honors, and Courtesy: 2–1
654:
as forms of address for superiors are common in the
109:
83:
53:
1449:
1363:"Chapter 2: Squad drill at the halt without arms".
588:, defend the term as dignified. Martin writes that
173:
167:
164:
150:
144:
141:
115:
106:
100:
77:
74:
47:
44:
1411:Madame Chiang Kai-Shek: China's Eternal First Lady
1335:, Air Force Instruction 34-1201 (August 18, 2020_.
566:Outside the settings of formal protocol, the term
1582:
1333:Personnel—General Customs and Courtesies: 8.1.2
434:; in writing, a female justice is addressed as
426:are addressed by counsel in hearings as either
278:are usually addressed in conversation first as
181:in British English). The term derives from the
1161:
1159:
1157:
1000:
998:
996:
994:
992:
990:
899:. Debrett's. February 19, 2021. Archived from
785:
783:
123:), is a polite and formal form of address for
1435:
912:
910:
720:were frequently used in English to refer to
701:Use in non-native English-speaking societies
626:
367:joined the court in 1981. Female members of
225:
219:
213:
207:
201:
191:
185:
1154:
987:
780:
248:
234:
230:"). These terms ultimately derive from the
1442:
1428:
1180:
1178:
1091:Madam Speaker: The Life of Betty Boothroyd
907:
877:. The Official Website of the Royal Family
328:is a correct form of address for a female
314:female member of the United States Cabinet
158:in American English and this way but also
27:"Mme" redirects here. For other uses, see
1230:
1228:
1226:
1224:
1222:
1220:
1218:
977:
975:
973:
971:
969:
967:
965:
963:
1142:
391:, leading all the male justices to drop
1343:
1341:
1297:
1200:
1198:
1175:
1030:, Vol. 30, Issue 4 (2008), pp. 398-423.
918:"Greeting a Member of The Royal Family"
296:is a formal form of address for female
1583:
1215:
960:
530:foreign diplomatic corps in Washington
528:, but not among U.S. diplomats or the
1423:
436:The Honourable Madame (Chief) Justice
318:Attorney General of the United States
262:" once, it is correct to address the
1338:
1195:
1013:, pp. 2-5 (last reviewed July 2013).
854:Dictionnaire de l’Académie Française
371:were previously sometimes styled as
552:may also be used to address female
13:
1387:(Stanford University Press: 1999).
1287:Forms of Address: The Armed Forces
1172:(last accessed February 19, 2021).
1028:Administrative Theory & Praxis
312:is a formal form of address for a
253:
14:
1602:
1385:Madame Mao: The White Boned Demon
684:U.S. Army Human Resources Command
561:
1253:'Yo' and Other Respectful Titles
1149:Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1006:Protocol for the Modern Diplomat
824:Lexico — Powered by Oxford
762:Lexico — Powered by Oxford
406:is "often heard informally" for
200:In French, the abbreviation is "
160:
137:
96:
70:
40:
16:Polite form of address for women
1403:
1390:
1377:
1356:
1326:
1314:
1280:
1262:
1245:
1130:
1113:
1096:
1083:
1070:
1058:
1046:
1033:
1016:
461:may be addressed in writing as
1206:Please Call Me Miss, Not Ma'am
948:
935:
889:
867:
842:
812:
750:
686:publication noted that in the
607:is more commonly heard in the
469:, while a female judge of the
414:, but is not in official use.
350:speaker of the Canadian Senate
274:. Other female members of the
1:
945:(Simon & Schuster, 2017).
875:"Greeting The King and Queen"
799:Dictionary by Merriam-Webster
743:
395:from their forms of address.
1269:Forms of Address: The Police
7:
1366:Drill and Ceremonial Manual
1009:, U.S. Department of State
447:courts of England and Wales
398:In Canada, the appellation
264:Queen of the United Kingdom
10:
1607:
1104:Court Dropping Mr. Justice
656:United States armed forces
499:Mrs/Ms Justice (last name)
420:Governor General of Canada
272:May it please Your Majesty
18:
1555:
1509:
1458:
1323:, Army Regulation 600–25.
1305:What's In A Title, Ma'am?
1041:Madam Secretary: A Memoir
1011:Foreign Service Institute
795:Definition & Meaning"
627:Military and police usage
538:Foreign Service Institute
526:French-speaking countries
346:Canadian House of Commons
258:After addressing her as "
1451:English social honorific
1309:Weekend Edition Saturday
1137:Justice Rosemary Barkett
338:British House of Commons
249:Use as a form of address
666:regulations state that
615:and less common on the
542:Madam High Commissioner
440:Canadian federal courts
400:Mr/Madam Prime Minister
379:formally used. Justice
1236:The Politics of Polite
1093:(HarperCollins: 1995).
718:Madame Chiang Kai-shek
688:Northern United States
524:. This is the case in
348:, as well as a female
322:Madam Attorney General
320:is formally addressed
235:
226:
220:
214:
208:
202:
192:
186:
131:, often contracted to
22:Madam (disambiguation)
1591:Women's social titles
1371:Canadian Armed Forces
1212:(September 26, 2013).
1166:Forms of Address: Law
1080:(Rodale Books, 2008).
514:Ambassador (lastname)
385:Florida Supreme Court
357:Mr. Justice (surname)
1413:(Grove Press: 2007).
1125:Smithsonian Magazine
1110:(November 19, 1980).
1039:Madeleine Albright,
897:"Addressing Royalty"
641:British Armed Forces
635:and higher ranks in
473:may be addressed as
369:state supreme courts
282:and subsequently as
276:British royal family
212:" and the plural is
1259:(February 6, 2000).
922:The Royal Household
830:on October 29, 2020
768:on October 19, 2021
365:Sandra Day O'Connor
280:Your Royal Highness
196:" meaning "my lady"
1400:(McFarland: 2007).
1396:Thomas A. DeLong,
1373:. August 23, 2018.
1242:(August 28, 2010).
1102:Linda Greenhouse,
1043:(Macmillan: 2012).
955:Protocol Reference
582:class distinctions
555:chargés d'affaires
404:Mr./Madam Minister
1578:
1577:
1192:(March 20, 2016).
982:Styles of address
736:), respectively;
546:high commissioner
453:is addressed as "
1598:
1444:
1437:
1430:
1421:
1420:
1414:
1409:Laura Tyson Li,
1407:
1401:
1394:
1388:
1381:
1375:
1374:
1360:
1354:
1345:
1336:
1330:
1324:
1318:
1312:
1311:(June 20, 2009).
1303:Alison Stewart,
1301:
1295:
1284:
1278:
1266:
1260:
1249:
1243:
1234:Natalie Angier,
1232:
1213:
1202:
1193:
1182:
1173:
1163:
1152:
1146:
1140:
1134:
1128:
1117:
1111:
1100:
1094:
1089:Paul Routledge,
1087:
1081:
1074:
1068:
1062:
1056:
1050:
1044:
1037:
1031:
1022:DeLysa Burnier,
1020:
1014:
1002:
985:
979:
958:
952:
946:
939:
933:
932:
930:
928:
914:
905:
904:
893:
887:
886:
884:
882:
871:
865:
864:
862:
860:
846:
840:
839:
837:
835:
826:. Archived from
816:
810:
809:
807:
805:
787:
778:
777:
775:
773:
764:. Archived from
754:
534:Madam Ambassador
522:Madam Ambassador
510:Madam Ambassador
381:Rosemary Barkett
362:
294:Madame President
240:
229:
223:
217:
211:
205:
195:
189:
180:
179:
176:
175:
172:
169:
166:
157:
156:
153:
152:
149:
146:
143:
129:English language
122:
121:
118:
117:
114:
111:
108:
105:
102:
93:
92:
89:
88:
85:
82:
79:
76:
63:
62:
59:
58:
55:
52:
49:
46:
32:
25:
1606:
1605:
1601:
1600:
1599:
1597:
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1595:
1581:
1580:
1579:
1574:
1551:
1505:
1454:
1448:
1418:
1417:
1408:
1404:
1395:
1391:
1382:
1378:
1362:
1361:
1357:
1346:
1339:
1331:
1327:
1319:
1315:
1302:
1298:
1285:
1281:
1267:
1263:
1257:Washington Post
1251:Judith Martin,
1250:
1246:
1233:
1216:
1203:
1196:
1190:Washington Post
1183:
1176:
1164:
1155:
1147:
1143:
1135:
1131:
1118:
1114:
1101:
1097:
1088:
1084:
1076:Marc Sandalow,
1075:
1071:
1063:
1059:
1051:
1047:
1038:
1034:
1021:
1017:
1003:
988:
980:
961:
953:
949:
940:
936:
926:
924:
916:
915:
908:
895:
894:
890:
880:
878:
873:
872:
868:
858:
856:
848:
847:
843:
833:
831:
818:
817:
813:
803:
801:
789:
788:
781:
771:
769:
756:
755:
751:
746:
734:Chiang Kai-shek
703:
695:Canadian Forces
629:
564:
412:other ministers
408:prime ministers
389:Justice Barkett
375:, matching the
360:
342:Betty Boothroyd
310:Madam Secretary
302:vice presidents
290:Madam President
256:
254:Formal protocol
251:
163:
159:
140:
136:
99:
95:
73:
69:
43:
39:
33:
26:
19:
17:
12:
11:
5:
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1594:
1593:
1576:
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1567:
1561:
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1553:
1552:
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1524:
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1507:
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1462:
1460:
1456:
1455:
1447:
1446:
1439:
1432:
1424:
1416:
1415:
1402:
1389:
1383:Ross Terrill,
1376:
1355:
1337:
1325:
1313:
1296:
1279:
1261:
1244:
1240:New York Times
1214:
1210:New York Times
1194:
1174:
1153:
1141:
1129:
1112:
1108:New York Times
1095:
1082:
1069:
1057:
1045:
1032:
1015:
986:
959:
947:
941:Helen Cooper,
934:
906:
903:on 2020-10-19.
888:
866:
841:
811:
779:
748:
747:
745:
742:
730:Soong Mei-ling
702:
699:
664:U.S. Air Force
637:British police
628:
625:
563:
562:Other settings
560:
459:District Court
255:
252:
250:
247:
218:(abbreviated "
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1603:
1592:
1589:
1588:
1586:
1571:
1568:
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1560:
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1554:
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1512:
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1487:
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1440:
1438:
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1310:
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1276:
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1265:
1258:
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1211:
1207:
1201:
1199:
1191:
1187:
1181:
1179:
1171:
1167:
1162:
1160:
1158:
1150:
1145:
1138:
1133:
1127:(March 2019).
1126:
1122:
1119:Evan Thomas.
1116:
1109:
1105:
1099:
1092:
1086:
1079:
1073:
1066:
1061:
1054:
1049:
1042:
1036:
1029:
1025:
1019:
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1007:
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997:
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993:
991:
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976:
974:
972:
970:
968:
966:
964:
956:
951:
944:
938:
923:
919:
913:
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902:
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892:
876:
870:
855:
851:
845:
829:
825:
821:
815:
800:
796:
794:
786:
784:
767:
763:
759:
753:
749:
741:
739:
735:
732:(the wife of
731:
727:
724:(the wife of
723:
719:
715:
710:
708:
698:
696:
691:
689:
685:
681:
677:
673:
669:
665:
661:
657:
653:
649:
644:
642:
638:
634:
624:
622:
618:
614:
610:
606:
601:
599:
595:
591:
587:
586:Judith Martin
583:
578:
574:
569:
559:
557:
556:
551:
547:
543:
539:
535:
531:
527:
523:
519:
515:
511:
507:
502:
500:
496:
492:
488:
484:
482:
476:
472:
468:
464:
460:
456:
452:
448:
443:
441:
437:
433:
429:
428:Madam Justice
425:
424:Supreme Court
421:
417:
413:
409:
405:
401:
396:
394:
390:
386:
382:
378:
374:
373:Madam Justice
370:
366:
358:
353:
351:
347:
343:
339:
335:
331:
327:
326:Madam Speaker
323:
319:
315:
311:
307:
303:
299:
295:
291:
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285:
281:
277:
273:
269:
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246:
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233:
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199:
194:
188:
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155:
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130:
126:
120:
91:
67:
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37:
30:
23:
1490:
1410:
1405:
1397:
1392:
1384:
1379:
1365:
1358:
1348:
1347:Jenny Hale,
1328:
1316:
1308:
1299:
1290:
1282:
1272:
1264:
1256:
1247:
1239:
1209:
1204:Laura Boyd,
1189:
1169:
1144:
1132:
1124:
1115:
1107:
1098:
1090:
1085:
1077:
1072:
1060:
1048:
1040:
1035:
1027:
1018:
1004:
950:
942:
937:
927:February 19,
925:. Retrieved
901:the original
891:
879:. Retrieved
869:
857:. Retrieved
853:
844:
832:. Retrieved
828:the original
823:
814:
802:. Retrieved
798:
792:
770:. Retrieved
766:the original
761:
752:
737:
717:
713:
711:
706:
704:
692:
679:
675:
667:
651:
647:
645:
630:
604:
602:
597:
593:
589:
576:
572:
567:
565:
553:
549:
548:. The title
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859:2 December
834:2 December
804:2 December
772:2 December
744:References
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722:Jiang Qing
714:Madame Mao
712:The terms
705:The title
518:ambassador
487:Dear Judge
475:Dear Madam
471:High Court
467:Dear Madam
463:Dear Judge
451:magistrate
298:presidents
1510:Masculine
1292:Debrett's
1274:Debrett's
1170:Debrett's
660:U.S. Army
633:inspector
508:, either
506:diplomacy
306:republics
1585:Category
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1466:Goodwife
1459:Feminine
881:28 March
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190:, from "
1557:Neutral
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1307:, NPR,
693:In the
613:Midwest
495:My Lady
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432:Justice
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193:ma dame
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1532:Master
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125:women
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1547:Lord
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929:2021
883:2024
861:2021
836:2021
806:2021
774:2021
716:and
662:and
650:and
619:and
617:East
611:and
592:(or
573:miss
512:and
481:Dame
449:, a
410:and
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1471:Mrs
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