n. 1. Used formerly as a courtesy title for a woman in authority or a mistress of a household. 2. a. A married woman; a matron. b. An elderly woman. 3. Often Offensive Slang A woman. 4. Chiefly British a. A woman holding a nonhereditary title conferred by a sovereign in recognition of personal merit or service to the country. b. The wife or widow of a knight. c. Used as the title for such a woman. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin domina, feminine of dominus, lord, master; see dem- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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