"Madam /\u02C8m\u00E6d\u0259m/, or, as French, madame /\u02C8m\u00E6d\u0259m/ or m\u0259-dam'[1], is a polite form of address for women, often contracted to ma'am /\u02C8m\u00E6m/. The abbreviation is \"Mme\" and the plural is mesdames (abbreviated Mmes). The term was borrowed from the French madame (French pronunciation: \u200B[ma\u02C8dam]), which means \"my lady\"."@en .