Definitions for ladyˈleɪ di

Random House Webster's College Dictionary

la•dy^*ˈleɪ di(n.; adj.)(pl.)-dies

(n.)a woman who is refined, polite, and well-spoken.
Category: Common Vocabulary
a woman of high social position or economic class.
Category: Common Vocabulary
any woman; female (sometimes used in combination):
the lady who answered the phone; a saleslady.
(used in direct address: often offensive in the singular):
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome. Lady, you're in my way.
Category: Status (usage)
wife:
The ambassador and his lady arrived late.
Slang. a female lover or steady companion.
Category: Common Vocabulary, Status (usage)
(cap.) (in Great Britain) the proper title of any woman whose husband is higher in rank than baronet or knight, or who is the daughter of a nobleman not lower than an earl, often given by courtesy to the wife of a baronet or knight.
a woman who has proprietary rights or authority, as over a manor; female feudal superior.
Category: Western History
Ref: Compare lord (def. 4). 4
(cap.)
Ref: Mary1 (def. 1). 1
a woman who is the object of chivalrous devotion.
Category: Western History
(usu. cap.) an attribute or abstraction personified as a woman:
Lady Fortune; Lady Virtue.
(adj.)Sometimes Offensive. female:
a lady reporter.
Category: Status (usage)

^* Usage: In the meanings “refined, polite woman” and “woman of high social position” the noun lady is the parallel of gentleman. As forms of address, both nouns are used in the plural (Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your cooperation), but only lady occurs in the singular. Except in chivalrous, literary, humorous or similar contexts (Lady, spurn me not), this singular is now usu. perceived as rude or at least insensitive: Where do you want the new air conditioner, lady? Other uses that are commonly disliked include lady in compounds or phrases referring to occupation or position (cleaning lady; forelady; saleslady) and as a modifier (lady artist; lady doctor). Increasingly, sex-neutral terms replace lady (cleaner; supervisor; salesperson or salesclerk). When it is relevant to specify the sex of the performer or practitioner, woman rather than lady is used, the parallel term being man, or male and female are used as modifiers: I need a saleswoman;Male doctors outnumber female doctors on the hospital staff by three to one. See also -person, -woman.Syn: See woman.

Origin of lady:

bef. 900; ME ladi(e), earlier lavedi, OE hlǣfdīge, hlǣfdige, perh. orig. meaning “loaf-kneader”<hlāfloaf1

Princeton's WordNet

lady(noun)
a polite name for any woman
"a nice lady at the library helped me"
dame, madam, ma'am, lady, gentlewoman(noun)
a woman of refinement
"a chauffeur opened the door of the limousine for the grand lady"
Lady, noblewoman, peeress(noun)
a woman of the peerage in Britain

Kernerman English Learner's Dictionary

lady(noun)ˈleɪ di
a woman, used to be polite
The lady in the red jacket will help you.; Ladies and Gentlemen, please take your seats.

Wiktionary

lady(Noun)
The mistress of a household.
lady(Noun)
A woman of breeding or higher class, a woman of authority.
"I would like the dining room to be fully set by tonight; would you do so?" "Yes, my lady".
lady(Noun)
The feminine of lord.
lady(Noun)
A title for someone married to a lord.
lady(Noun)
A title for somebody married to a gentleman.
lady(Noun)
A title that can be used instead of the formal terms of marchioness, countess, viscountess or baroness.
lady(Noun)
A polite term referring to a woman.
Please direct this lady to the soft furnishings department.
lady(Noun)
(ladies; in plural only) A polite form of address to women
lady(Noun)
(ladies' or ladies) Toilets intended for use by women.
lady(Noun)
An affectionate term for one's wife or girlfriend.
But soft, what light through yonder window breaks...? It is my lady, O it is my love! -Romeo and Juliet
lady(Noun)
a queen (the playing card)
lady(Noun)
(attributive) (with a professional title) Who is a woman.
A lady doctor.
Lady(Noun)
An aristocratic title for a woman; the wife of a lord and/or a woman who holds the position in her own right; a title for a peeress, the wife of a peer or knight, and the daughters and daughters-in-law of certain peers.
Lady(Noun)
Lady Amherst's pheasant.
"I would like the dining room to be fully set by tonight; would you do so?" "Yes, my lady".
Lady(Noun)
A high priestess
Lady(ProperNoun)
The title for the (primary) female deity in female-centered religions
My Lady, will you not take pity on me?
Lady(ProperNoun)
The major supernatural figurehead in the Wiccan religion, a triune goddess split into the Mother, Maiden, and Crone.

Origin: From lady, laddy, lafdi, lavedi, from hlæfdige, from hlaf + dige, related to dæge. Compare also lord. More at loaf, dairy, dough.

Webster Dictionary

Lady(noun)
a woman who looks after the domestic affairs of a family; a mistress; the female head of a household
Lady(noun)
a woman having proprietary rights or authority; mistress; -- a feminine correlative of lord
Lady(noun)
a woman to whom the particular homage of a knight was paid; a woman to whom one is devoted or bound; a sweetheart
Lady(noun)
a woman of social distinction or position. In England, a title prefixed to the name of any woman whose husband is not of lower rank than a baron, or whose father was a nobleman not lower than an earl. The wife of a baronet or knight has the title of Lady by courtesy, but not by right
Lady(noun)
a woman of refined or gentle manners; a well-bred woman; -- the feminine correlative of gentleman
Lady(noun)
a wife; -- not now in approved usage
Lady(noun)
the triturating apparatus in the stomach of a lobster; -- so called from a fancied resemblance to a seated female figure. It consists of calcareous plates
Lady(adj)
belonging or becoming to a lady; ladylike
Lady(u)
the day of the annunciation of the Virgin Mary, March 25. See Annunciation

Translations for lady

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary

lady(noun)

a more polite form of woman

Tell that child to stand up and let that lady sit down; The lady in the flower shop said that roses are expensive just now; Ladies' shoes are upstairs in this shop; (also adjective) a lady doctor.