May-lady

English

Noun

May-lady (plural May-ladies)

1. (now rare, historical) A May Queen.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto X”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:

     The jolly Satyres, full of fresh delight, / Came dauncing forth, and with them nimbly ledd / Faire Hellenore with girlonds all bespredd, / Whom their May-lady they had newly made […].

   • 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC:
     , III.2.2.iii:

     Some light huswife belike, that was dressed like a may lady, and as most of our gentlewomen are.