Lady is a member of the nobility or the wife of a nobleman. In the United Kingdom, a woman who holds a title in her own right, including marchioness, countess, viscountess, or baroness, ranks as a lady. The daughter of a duke, marquess, or earl is also called a lady. The wife of a knight or baronet carries the title lady but loses it if her husband dies and she marries a commoner. A lady of the royal household is traditionally called a lady in waiting, and a lord mayor’s wife is a lady mayoress. The first ladies gained seats in the United Kingdom’s House of Lords in 1958.
