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
Keep it casual with straight-leg jeans like the former First Lady, or toss them on with a black maxi dress to stay comfy while looking a little dressier.
—
Olivia Cigliano,
InStyle,
3 July 2026
Costa was formerly chief of staff to Emmanuel Macron during the president’s election campaign, before becoming chief of staff to Brigitte Macron, the First Lady of France, from 2017 to 2022.
—
News Desk,
Artforum,
2 July 2026
The governor, First Lady and their three children live at the Governor's mansion.
—
Cbs Miami Team,
CBS News,
1 July 2026
As frustrated viewers noted online, there is only one First Lady with the last name McKinley.
—
Louis Peitzman,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for First Lady
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Olivia Cigliano,
InStyle,
3 July 2026
Costa was formerly chief of staff to Emmanuel Macron during the president’s election campaign, before becoming chief of staff to Brigitte Macron, the First Lady of France, from 2017 to 2022.
—
News Desk,
Artforum,
2 July 2026
The governor, First Lady and their three children live at the Governor's mansion.
—
Cbs Miami Team,
CBS News,
1 July 2026
As frustrated viewers noted online, there is only one First Lady with the last name McKinley.
—
Louis Peitzman,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 June 2026
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 6 Jul. 2026.
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