---
title: madam — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «madam» in the school dictionary: Madam is a polite way to speak to a woman whose name you do not know, used by shop staff, waiters and in letters: «Dear Madam». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# madam

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Madam, you, woman, little madam, girl, waiter · **What happens:** be, speak, not know, use, waiter, name · **To what, where:** polite way, name, letters, Madam, important job, girl · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«madam» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 6 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [madam in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/madam.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: polite — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Madam is a polite way to speak to a woman whose name you do not know, used by shop staff, waiters and in letters: «Dear Madam».

<!-- fold The tree, 26 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:madam:m1:1
# text = Madam is a polite way to speak to a woman whose name you do not know, used by shop staff, waiters and in letters: «Dear Madam».
1	Madam	madam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	polite	polite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	speak	speak	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	acl	_	_
8	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	woman	woman	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
11	whose	whose	PRON	WP$	Poss=Yes|PronType=Rel	12	nmod:poss	_	_
12	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	_
13	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
14	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	aux	_	_
15	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	16	advmod	_	_
16	know	know	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
18	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
19	by	by	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	shop	shop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	compound	_	_
21	staff	staff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
23	waiters	waiter	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
24	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	26	cc	_	_
25	in	in	ADP	IN	_	26	case	_	_
26	letters	letter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	23	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	23	punct	_	_
28	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	30	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	Dear	dear	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	30	amod	_	_
30	Madam	Madam	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	23	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	30	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
32	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Madam | a polite way |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **speak** *speech: other* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | to a woman and a woman and a woman's name's name | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent to woman=Co-Agent |
| 3 | **not** **know** | present · do-support | you | a woman and a woman and name's name's name *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer name=Stimulus |
| 4 | **use** | participle |  | a polite way *not said here* |  |  |  | by shop staff | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **waiter** | present |  | letters |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 6 | **name** |  | a woman and a woman and name's name |  |  |  |  |  | nom name «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Madam is used before a title when speaking to a woman in an important job.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:madam:m2:1
# text = Madam is used before a title when speaking to a woman in an important job.
1	Madam	madam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	before	before	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	title	title	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	8	advmod	_	_
8	speaking	speak	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
9	to	to	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	woman	woman	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
13	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	important	important	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	job	job	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present · passive |  | Madam |  |  | before a title |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |
| 2 | **speak** *speech: other* | gerund |  |  |  | a important job |  | to a woman | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent to woman=Co-Agent |

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Madam Chair, Madam President.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:madam:m2e:1
# text = Madam Chair, Madam President.
1	Madam	madam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	Chair	chair	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	Madam	Madam	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	President	President	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: UK, informal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A little madam is a girl who is bossy, cheeky or spoilt.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:madam:m3:1
# text = A little madam is a girl who is bossy, cheeky or spoilt.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	madam	madam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	girl	girl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	bossy	bossy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	cheeky	cheeky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	conj	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	spoilt	spoilt	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a little madam | a girl |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | a girl |  |  |  |  | bossy *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **be** |  | a girl *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **be** |  | a girl *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Can I take your coat, madam?» asked the waiter.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:madam:x1:1
# text = «Can I take your coat, madam?» asked the waiter.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	take	take	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	ccomp	_	_
5	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	coat	coat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	madam	madam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
11	asked	ask	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	waiter	waiter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** *in a quote* | can | the waiter *= waiter* | your coat and madam |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent coat=Theme |
| 2 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past | the waiter |  |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I began my letter with «Dear Sir or Madam».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:madam:x2:1
# text = I began my letter with «Dear Sir or Madam».
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	began	begin	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	Dear	dear	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	Sir	Sir	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	Madam	Madam	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **begin** | past | I | my letter |  |  |  | with Dear Sir or Madam | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.subeventuality»: agent=Agent letter=Eventuality with sir=Subeventuality |
| 2 | **letter** |  | my |  |  |  |  | with Dear Sir or Madam | nom letter «communication transitive»: poss=agent with=obl |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Thank you, Madam Speaker.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:madam:x3:1
# text = Thank you, Madam Speaker.
1	Thank	thank	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	Madam	Madam	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	Speaker	Speaker	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	vocative	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **thank** *speech: thank* | present |  |  | you |  |  | Madam Speaker *vocative* | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent you=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Gran called my sister a little madam when she sulked.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:madam:x4:1
# text = Gran called my sister a little madam when she sulked.
1	Gran	Gran	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	called	call	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	iobj	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	madam	madam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	xcomp	_	_
8	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	10	advmod	_	_
9	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	sulked	sulk	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | past | Gran | a little madam | my sister |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent sister=Recipient |
| 2 | **sulk** | past | Gran |  |  |  |  |  | vn marvel-31.3 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«This way, madam,» said the usher.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:madam:x5:1
# text = «This way, madam,» said the usher.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	This	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	det	_	_
3	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	madam	madam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
8	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	usher	usher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the usher |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Excuse me, madam, you dropped your glove.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:madam:x6:1
# text = Excuse me, madam, you dropped your glove.
1	Excuse	excuse	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	madam	madam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	dropped	drop	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	1	parataxis	_	_
8	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	glove	glove	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **excuse** | imperative | you *not said here* | me |  |  |  | madam *obl* | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent i=Theme |
| 2 | **drop** | past | you | your glove |  |  |  |  | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent glove=Theme |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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