# madam

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈmæd.əm/ · frequency rank #13,192

## Definitions
1. A polite form of address for a woman or lady.
2. The mistress of a household.
3. A conceited or quarrelsome girl.
4. A woman who runs a brothel, particularly one that specializes in finding prostitutes for rich and important clients.
5. A hated or contemptuous woman; used as a general term of abuse

## Etymology
From Middle English madame, from Old French madame, from ma (“my”) + dame (“lady”), from post-classical Latin mea domina. Doublet of Madonna.

## Easily confused with
- **mam** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madam-vs-mam)
- **MDA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madam-vs-mda)
- **made** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madam-vs-made)
- **mama** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madam-vs-mama)
- **Maya** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madam-vs-maya)
- **mata** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madam-vs-mata)
- **mara** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madam-vs-mara)
- **maga** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madam-vs-maga)
- **mana** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madam-vs-mana)
- **Maia** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madam-vs-maia)
- **maha** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madam-vs-maha)
- **mala** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madam-vs-mala)
- **masa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madam-vs-masa)
- **maim** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madam-vs-maim)
- **Madi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madam-vs-madi)
- **muda** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madam-vs-muda)
- **medal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madam-vs-medal)
- **modem** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madam-vs-modem)
- **Malay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madam-vs-malay)
- **maxim** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madam-vs-maxim)

## Common misspellings (7)
`amdam`, `maadm`, `madamm`, `maddam`, `madma`, `mdaam`, `mmadam`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/madam