Most of us have often been confused about when to call someone a ‘lady’ or a ‘woman’, right? Now wouldn’t it be embarrassing if you address a ‘woman’ as ‘lady’ and vice versa? To make sure that you use these words in the proper contexts, this article will talk about all the essential points that you need to know about the terms ‘lady’ and ‘woman’. After going through this article, it will be easier for students to understand when they can address someone as a ‘lady’ or a ‘woman’.
Unlike other subjects, students often get confused while using some words in the English Language. Students often unintentionally use some words interchangeably or synonymously. As a result, many a times, they end up using those in the wrong contexts. So, if you are a student and want to make sure that you don’t make mistakes while using such easily confused words, then you need to know the meanings of these words and what makes them different from one another. Let’s have a look at the following points that will be discussed in this article:
- Table Summarising the Difference between Lady and Woman.
- The Difference between Lady and Woman – Meanings
- Examples of Lady and Woman
- Lady and Woman – Conclusion
Table Summarising the Difference between Lady and Woman
| Lady | Woman | |
| Meaning | The word lady is used as a formal way to address/refer to a woman. It is considered more polite and respectful. | The word woman is used as a way to refer to a female who is an adult. |
| Usage | It is used as a Noun. | It is used as a Noun. |
| Example | Miss Robinson is a respected lady. | Indira Gandhi was the first woman Prime Minister of India. |
The following table shows that though ‘lady’ and ‘woman’ are used to refer to female human beings, they can never be treated synonymously, and neither can be used interchangeably. For students who previously got confused thinking how or when to use the words ‘lady’ and ‘woman’, this table will help them understand how they can use these words in sentences. Once they know the difference between these words, they can apply them in the correct contexts.
The Difference between Lady and Woman – Meanings
Though both the words are used to refer to female human beings, one can’t use them interchangeably. When you use the word ‘lady’, it has a tone of respect and formality to it. It’s also used to refer to elder women or if you don’t know a woman personally, for example, ‘The lady in the blue dress is his sister’, whereas when you use the word ‘woman’, it refers to any female being who is an adult i.e., the term is related to the age of the person e.g., ‘The woman in the pink saree is my aunt.’ Once the students understand the points of difference between these two, it will be easier for them to use these words in a sentence correctly.
Examples of Lady and Woman
The examples below will allow students to clearly understand ‘lady’ and ‘woman’.
Lady – The lady in a white gown is the bride. (noun)
Woman – Razia Sultan was the first woman ruler of the Delhi Sultanate. (noun)
The moment students understand the difference between the words ‘lady’ and ‘woman’, they can easily apply them in the proper contexts.
Lady and Woman – Conclusion
In conclusion, though the words ‘lady’ and ‘woman’ are used to refer to any female being but can neither be used synonymously nor can be used interchangeably. This article points out the difference between ‘lady’ and ‘woman’ to make it easier for students to use them in sentences correctly. Apart from this, BYJU’S also offers various articles on many such ‘Differences Between Two Words’ that students often get confused with.
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