different between princess vs ladyship

English

Etymology

From Middle English princesse, a borrowing from Anglo-Norman princesse, Old French princesse, corresponding to prince +? -ess.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /p??n?s?s/, /?p??ns?s/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?p??ns?s/, /?p??ns?s/

Noun

princess (plural princesses)

1. A female member of a royal family other than a queen, especially a daughter or granddaughter of a monarch. [from 14th c.]
2. A woman or girl who excels in a given field or class. [from 14th c.]
3. (now archaic) A female ruler or monarch; a queen. [from 15th c.]
   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, V.12:

     And running all with greedie ioyfulnesse / To faire Irena, at her feet did fall, / And her adored with due humblenesse, / As their true Liege and Princesse naturall […]

4. The wife of a prince; the female ruler of a principality. [from 15th c.]

   Princess Grace was the Princess of Monaco.

5. A young girl; used as a term of endearment. [from 18th c.]
6. (derogatory, chiefly US) A young girl or woman (or less commonly a man) who is vain, spoiled or selfish; a prima donna. [from 20th c.]
7. A tinted crystal marble used in children's games.
8. A type of court card in the Tarot pack, coming between the 10 and the prince (Jack).
9. A female lemur.

Usage notes

• A princess is usually styled “Her Highness”. A princess in a royal family is “Her Royal Highness”; in an imperial family “Her Imperial Highness”.

Coordinate terms

• prince

Derived terms

Related terms

• princely
• principality

Translations

See also

• archduchess
• duchess
• grand duchess
• highness
• royal

Anagrams

• Crespins, crispens

English

Etymology

lady +? -ship

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /?le?.di.??p/

Noun

ladyship (plural ladyships)

1. Term of respect for a woman of the peerage without using her title.

   "Her ladyship will be unable to attend tonight," he said, with a wink because he hadn't said why.

   • 1877, Anna Sewell, Black Beauty Chapter 22[1]

     York got down and said very respectfully, "I beg your pardon, my lady, but these horses have not been reined up for three years, and my lord said it would be safer to bring them to it by degrees; but if your ladyship pleases, I can take them up a little more."

2. (English and Commonwealth) Formal form of address for a lady judge (as opposed to the informal "judge").

Translations

See also

• lordship