Lady

The term Lady is used as an honorific for woman to indicate that they or their close relative has rank, often being a peer. The word originally referred to the mistress of a household. In modern England, a woman is called a Lady if she is a marchioness, countess, viscountess, baroness or baronetess, if their husband is a knight, baron or baronet or if their father is a duke, marquis or earl. It can also be used for the wife of the younger son of a marquis or earl.

Hence, you could refer to the Baroness of Outerkeep, Lady Catherine or the wife of Earl Snowdon can be referred to as Lady Snowdon.

A Lady of the SCA

In the SCA, it is the title given to a woman who has been given an Award of Arms. It is also commonplace to refer to any woman at an SCA event as "my lady" or "m'lady" but that implies no rank.

See also:

• Lord

Alternate titles

A persona with the title of Lady may wish to use one of the following alternate titles.

Language	Alternate Form
Albanian	Zönjë/Bujare
Arabic	Sayyida
Breton	Itron
Catalan	Senyora
Czech	Dáma, Páni
Danish	Fru
Dutch	Gebiedster
Estonian	Leedi
Finnish	Rouva
French	Dame, Madame
German	Herrin
Greek	Kíria
Hebrew	Rebbah
Hungarian	Asszony
Icelandic	Hefdharfru/Hefdharkona
Irish Gaelic	Bantiarna
Italian	Signora
Latin	Domina
Middle Norwegian	Fru
Old English	Hlæfdīġe
Polish	Pani
Portuguese	Senhora
Romanian	Doamnă
Russian	Pomestnitsa
Scots Gaelic	Baintighearna
Spanish	Señora/Doña
Swedish	Fru
Turkish	Hanimefendi
Welsh	Arglwyddes/Bonesig/Boneddiges