madame

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/ma.dam/

nounfeminine

madam (polite form of address for a woman)

Mrs. / Ms. (title placed before a surname)

Madame, votre train partira à 18h.

Ma'am, your train will leave at 6 p.m.

Synonyms:dame, Mme

nounfeminine

the woman in charge; the female head of a household or establishment

Ici, c'est madame qui décide.

Here, it's the woman in charge who decides.

Synonyms:patronne, dame

Notes

GENERAL INFO

Madame is a formal title and noun meaning "Mrs." or "Madam." It is used for married women or as a respectful address to any adult woman, regardless of marital status.

USAGE

You use madame when addressing a woman directly (e.g., "Bonjour, Madame.") or when referring to her with her last name ("Madame Dupont"). It's a polite, standard form of address in most situations.

TRAPS

Do not confuse it with "Mademoiselle" (Miss), which is traditionally for unmarried women or young women but is less commonly used today. In doubt, always use Madame for any adult woman to be respectful.