'lady' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'hlǣfdige,' where 'hlāf' meant 'loaf' and 'dige' meant 'kneader.'

'hlǣfdige' transformed into the Middle English word 'lady,' and eventually became the modern English word 'lady.'

Initially, it meant 'a woman who kneads bread,' but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a woman of high social position or a polite term for a woman.'