What is madams?

Madam, or madame, is a polite and formal form of address for women, often contracted to ma'am. The term derives from the French madame; in French, ma dame literally means "my lady". In French, the abbreviation is "Mᵐᵉ" or "Mme" and the plural is mesdames. In the Supreme Court of the United States, the Supreme Court of Canada and the superior courts of Australia, rather than adopting the title Madam Justice for female justices, the title Mrs. Justice was replaced simply by Justice. Likewise, female presidents of the Republic of Ireland have preferred to be addressed simply as President in direct address, rather than Madam President. In the United Kingdom, female judges of the High Court of Justice of England and Wales are titled Mrs. Justice rather than Madam Justice, regardless of marital status; however, female District Judges are referred to as either Madam or Ma'am.[citation needed] Female judges of the High Court of Hong Kong and the Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong are, however, titled Madam Justice.