See also: Määme

French edit

Pronunciation edit

Contraction edit

ma’ame

  1. (dated, nonstandard) Contraction of madame.
    • 1904, Byron Nicholson, Le Canadien‐Français[1], page 138:
      — Oui, ma’ame, j’ai vu ça, mais sûr et certain, je ne suis pas irlandaise, répondit la solliciteuse sans sourciller.
      "Yes, missus, I saw that, but sure and certain, I'm not Irish," replied the solicitor without flinching.

Usage notes edit

  • This contraction, chiefly used to convey a non-native speaker's pronunciation or contraction of madame, fell out of use during the 20th century. The usual French contraction of madame is m'dame.