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

As 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

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

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

Carolyn 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

Examples 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

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden commemorated the 12th anniversary of the program and formally announced the administration’s new policies at the White House. —Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 18 June 2024

At the White House on Tuesday, First Lady Jill Biden described a common scenario, of an immigrant who came to the U.S. to work, fell in love and built a life here. —Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2024

Before joining the Mouse House, ex-Instagram advisor Schake was communications director for First Lady Michelle Obama, Deputy Communications Director for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign, and handled the Biden administration’s Covid-19 vaccine campaign. —Ted Johnson, Deadline, 18 June 2024

Oscar and Grammy award-winning actor and singer Barbra Streisand also took the stage at the event, as did First Lady Jill Biden. —Rebecca Schneid, TIME, 16 June 2024

In addition to Biden, Obama, Kimmel, Roberts and Clooney, the program also featured remarks from First Lady Jill Biden, longtime Democratic supporter Barbra Streisand, Jason Bateman and Kathryn Hahn. —Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 June 2024

By Shreya Komar | Bay City News First Lady Jill Biden is set to arrive Thursday evening in the Bay Area to attend a campaign fundraiser, according to the White House. —Bay City News Service, The Mercury News, 12 June 2024

Guyton, who went with her son Grayson, 3, and husband Grant Savoy, revealed the hilarious photo her son took with President Biden and his wife, First Lady Jill Biden. —Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 12 June 2024

For Biden’s trial in Delaware, pantsuits were the preferred look worn by his wife Melissa Cohen Biden, his sister Ashley and First Lady Jill Biden. —Rosemary Feitelberg, WWD, 12 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1677, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

first lady

noun

often capitalized F&L

: the wife, female partner, or hostess of the chief executive of a country or jurisdiction