First Lady
noun
variants
or first lady
plural First Ladies or first ladies
1
: the wife or female partner of the chief executive of a country or jurisdiction
It is a reminder of just how peculiar the role of First Lady is in American public life. She has a job with no salary, a platform with no power, an East Wing filled with staff but no budget.—
Jonathan Van Meter
Jonathan Van MeterAs a supermodel, singer-songwriter, and former first lady of France, no one has had a career quite like Carla Bruni. Since her husband, Nicolas Sarkozy, left office in 2012, Bruni has focused on her music.—Janelle Okwodu
Janelle Okwodu
also
: someone who is not the wife or female partner of a chief executive but who fulfills the public duties of a First Lady
Unique among First Ladies, Harriet Lane acted as hostess for the only President who never married: James Buchanan, her favorite uncle and her guardian after she was orphaned at the age of eleven. —Allida Black
Allida Black 2
: the leading woman of an art or profession
Back before Mobb Deep, before the whole Juice Crew, the first MC to blow up big out of the Bridge was hip hop's universally recognized First Lady, Roxanne Shanté.—Sacha Jenkins
Sacha JenkinsCarolyn Wells is the first lady of barbecue—alongside her late husband Gary Wells and friend Rick Welch, the three founded the Kansas City Barbeque Society in 1986.—Damian Dominguez
Damian DominguezExamples of First Lady in a Sentence
The President and the First Lady attended the concert.
the first lady of American dance
Recent Examples on the Web
Former First Lady Barbara Bush died on April 17, 2018.
—Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 31 May 2025
They were also both photographed, along with First Lady Melania Trump, at a United Nations event in 2008.
—Nik Popli, Time, 30 May 2025
He was married twice: first to Letitia Christian, who became the first president’s wife to die in the White House in 1842, followed by Julia Gardiner, who also served as First Lady.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 May 2025
How to Make Citrus Pie Here's a quick look at how to make the former First Lady's 8-ingredient citrus pie recipe.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for First Lady
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Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 31 May 2025
They were also both photographed, along with First Lady Melania Trump, at a United Nations event in 2008.
—Nik Popli, Time, 30 May 2025
He was married twice: first to Letitia Christian, who became the first president’s wife to die in the White House in 1842, followed by Julia Gardiner, who also served as First Lady.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 May 2025
How to Make Citrus Pie Here's a quick look at how to make the former First Lady's 8-ingredient citrus pie recipe.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for First Lady
Cite this Entry
“First Lady.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/First%20Lady. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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