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The equivalent of a gentleman is the phrase lady, which is a term of respect for a girl or woman. It’s a formal, courteous manner of addressing a woman. The term “lady” can be used to refer to or address a woman in an old-fashioned manner. It can be used to speak to a lady in an impolite manner that many women find insulting. Previously designated for women of great social class or position, the female counterpart of the lord, the term can now be applied to any adult woman. The informal usage of this term can be euphemistic (“lady of the night” for a prostitute) or condescending in American slang (equivalent to “mister” or “man”).

In the United Kingdom, “lady” is also a formal title. “Lady” is used before the family name of a woman with nobility or honorary title suo jure (in her own right), or the wife of a lord, baronet, Scottish feudal baron, laird, or knight, as well as before the first name of a duke, marquess, or earl’s daughter.

The term derives from the Old English hlfdige; the first component is a mutated version of hlf, “loaf, bread,” which is also evident in the equivalent hlford, “lord.” The second component is typically thought to derive from the root dig-, “to knead,” which is also evident in dough; the evolution of the sense from bread-kneader, bread-maker, or bread-shaper to the conventional meaning, though not precisely traceable historically, may be shown by “lord.”

The word “mistress of a household” has generally lost its significance, with the exception of the term “landlady” and expressions like “the lady of the house.” The southern states of the United States have kept this connotation. The wives of elected or appointed authorities are referred to as First Lady and Lady Mayoress, respectively. In several European languages, the comparable word (French Madame, Spanish Seora, Italian Signora, German Frau, Polish Pani, etc.) serves as a generic form of address akin to the English Mrs.

In such languages, it is proper to call a woman whose name is unknown as Madame, Seora, etc., but in polite English usage, “lady” has traditionally only been used as a plural “word of address,” as is the case with “gentleman.” The usage of a single vocative was previously popular, but it is now largely restricted to poetry.

“Hey, lady, you aren’t permitted in here!” is still used in certain languages to address an unknown woman in a brusque way, typically in an urgent or interrogatory context, similar to “mister” for an unknown male: “Hey, lady, you aren’t allowed in here!” The term “lady” is rarely capitalized when used in this context. Madam or Ma’am is the standard English word for addressing a lady graciously.

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