Mesdames is the plural form of the French address mesdame, meaning ‘ladies.’ In English, it is used chiefly in formal or theatrical contexts to refer to a group of women addressed as ‘Mesdames,’ often preceding a list of titles or as a pronoun stand-in. The pronunciation in English-adapted usage typically preserves French vowels and rhythm, yielding a soft, elongated final -mes sound.
US: rhotic, with relaxed /ɚ/ in some speakers, stress on -DAHMZ; UK: non-rhotic, shorter first vowel, stronger -dæmz; AU: similar to US but with wider vowel space and slightly flatter intonation. IPA references: US /məˈdæːmz/, UK /məˈdæːmz/ or /məˈdæmz/ with shorter first syllable; AU /məˈdæːmz/ with a slightly wider diphthong. Focus on final z voice and mid back vowels.
"The audience rose as Mesdames entered the stage to thunderous applause."
"In the French court document, the term Mesdames appeared before the duchesses’ names."
"The host addressed the guests as Mesdames and Messieurs, then introduced the speakers."
"A quote from the play: 'Mesdames, your presence graces this gathering.'"
Mesdames comes from French mesdames, plural of madame (madwoman’s respectful form for a woman of status). The word madame originates from Old French ma dame, literally ‘my lady,’ a compound of ma ‘my’ and dame ‘lady.’ In the 17th-18th centuries English borrowings kept the French spelling and pronunciation patterns, adopting the acute French ‘é’ vibe and the silent final -e. The plural mesdames emerged as English speakers needed a formal plural form to address multiple ladies respectfully in formal settings. Over time, English usage preserved the French cadence, often pronounced as meh-DAHM, with final ‘mes’ soft and light. In modern English, Mesdames is used primarily in formal address, stage directions, or written dialogue that retains a French-inflected tone; it is rare in casual conversation, where “ladies” or “madams” would be more common. First known uses in English trace to early modern period translations and plays where French titles were frequently preserved to convey formality and social rank. The pronunciation habit of non-Francophone speakers tends to Anglicize vowels, which is commonly heard in theater and ceremonial contexts.
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Words that rhyme with "Mesdames"
-mes sounds
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Pronounce it as meh-DAHMZ or meh-DAHM depending on speaker. In IPA for US/UK/AU you’ll commonly hear /məˈdæːmz/ with the second syllable stressed, a long a like ‘bath’ in many UK accents, and a final z-sound. Start with a neutral, relaxed ‘meh’ and then drop into a crisp, French-influenced ‘dahmz’ with lip rounding and a soft vowel, avoiding an overly nasal middle. For native-French cadence, the second syllable is stressed and the final s is a voiced z. Listen to a native speaker to catch the glide into -dames.
Common errors include over- anglicizing the first syllable (pronouncing it as /muh-DAHMZ/ with a schwa) and turning the final -dames into a hard 'z' or 's' without voicing. Another mistake is stressing the first syllable instead of the second, which shifts the cadence away from the French-influenced pattern. Correct approach: keep /mə/ or /meɪ/ as the initial, place primary stress on the second syllable /ˈdæːmz/ (or /ˈdɑːmz/ in some accents), and voice the final z clearly.
In US English, the first syllable is lighter and the second is stressed with a clear /æː/ or /ɑː/ depending on region. The final z is voiced. In UK English, many speakers use a shorter first vowel and may slightly raise the second vowel, with a crisp /mz/ ending. Australian speech tends to be even more relaxed on the first syllable and retains a clear voiced /z/ at the end. Across all, the French influence persists, but the vowel length and rhotics vary.
The difficulty lies in preserving the French-derived cadence while using English phonemes: keeping the two-syllable rhythm with secondary stress on the first syllable and a long, crisp -dames ending. The final -mes in English becomes a voiced z; many speakers unintentionally devoice it or insert extra vowel. The non-native speaker also faces a potentially unfamiliar vowel length in the second syllable, and double-checking mouth position is key—start with a relaxed /mə/ and glide into /ˈdæːmz/.
Yes, the word features a fixed French-derived two-syllable rhythm and a silent-like first vowel nuance in some speakers, with a rounded, lowered second vowel. The final s behaves as a voiced z, which can be tricky for learners who expect a softer or voiceless ending. The unique challenge is balancing the French vowel shape with English voicing and ensuring the second syllable receives the primary stress.
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