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"madam, Mrs., Ms." in seven languages

Meaningmadam, Mrs., Ms.

Spanish

señora

/seˈɲoɾa/

fem.inherited

French

madame

/madam/

fem.other source · ma dame, from Latin MEAM DOMINAM 'my mistress'

Italian

signora

/siɲˈɲora/

fem.inherited

Portuguese

senhora

/seˈɲɔɾɐ/

fem.inherited

Romanian

doamnă

/ˈdo̯amnə/

fem.other source · Latin DOMINAM 'mistress'

Catalan

senyora

/səˈɲoɾə/

fem.inherited

English

madam

/ˈmædəm/

other source · Old French ma dame (Latin DOMINAM)

English → Italianmadam, Mrs., Ms.signoraNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: senior; dame, madam, dominate (fr).What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

SENIŌREM‘older (one), elder’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

Spanish and Italian made a feminine of 'elder' (señora, signora). French says 'my lady': dame is DOMINAM, the same word as Italian donna 'woman' and Spanish dueña 'owner'.

English relatives: senior; dame, madam, dominate (fr)

Learn it

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In a sentence

  • esPerdone, señora.
  • frPardon, madame.
  • itMi scusi, signora.
  • ptCom licença, senhora.
  • roScuzați-mă, doamnă.
  • caPerdoni, senyora.
  • enExcuse me, madam.

More words from the same Latin

More in Greetings & courtesy

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