() or () is a
French courtesy title
A courtesy title is a title that does not have legal significance but is rather used by custom or courtesy, particularly, in the context of nobility, the titles used by children of members of the nobility (cf. substantive title).
In some context ...
, abbreviated Mlle or Dlle, traditionally given to an unmarried woman. The equivalent in English is "
Miss
Miss (pronounced ) is an English-language honorific typically used for a girl, for an unmarried woman (when not using another title such as " Doctor" or "Dame"), or for a married woman retaining her maiden name. Originating in the 17th century ...
". The courtesy title "
Madame" is accorded women where their
marital status
Civil status, or marital status, are the distinct options that describe a person's relationship with a significant other. '' Married'', '' single'', '' divorced'', and ''widowed'' are examples of civil status.
''Civil status'' and ''marital st ...
is unknown.
From around 1970 onwards, the use of the title was challenged in France, particularly by feminist groups who wanted it banned. A circular from
François Fillon
François Charles Amand Fillon (; born 4 March 1954) is a French retired politician who served as Prime Minister of France from 2007 to 2012 under President Nicolas Sarkozy. He was the nominee of The Republicans (previously known as the Union ...
, then
Prime Minister
A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
, dated 21 February 2012, called for the deletion of the word in all official documents. On 26 December 2012, the
Council of State
A council of state is a governmental body in a country, or a subdivision of a country, with a function that varies by jurisdiction. It may be the formal name for the cabinet or it may refer to a non-executive advisory body associated with a head ...
approved the deletion.
Service Public – 8 janvier 2013 – Direction de l'information légale et administrative (Premier ministre) – Le Conseil d'État valide la suppression du « Mademoiselle » dans les documents administratifs
/ref>
See also
*''Fräulein
( , ) is the German honorifics, German language honorific for unmarried women, comparable to Miss in English and in French.
Description
''Fräulein'' is the diminutive form of ''Frau'', which was previously reserved only for married women. ...
'', a similar German term
References
French words and phrases
Women's social titles
Honorifics
History of women in France
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