noun
milady
mih-LAY-dee/mɪˈleɪdi/
An old-fashioned or affected way of addressing a noblewoman or other woman.
Your carriage is ready, milady, the servant says in the period drama.
Etymology
“My lady” was an address to an English noblewoman or great lady. Milady preserves that deferential address in its archaic or affected use for a woman.
In context
Milady, please be seated. I'll find you a chair.
Miss Justine milady, will you please pick the next emoji?
More examples
- The character bowed and said milady.
- She laughed at his affected use of milady.
- The novel addresses the noblewoman as milady.
Forms
milady
Similar words
- madam
- Madam is a more general respectful address.
- my lady
- My lady is the expanded form and can signal formal rank.