Alphabetical Entries: L

this term is used by some Mexican Americans to convey affinity with blacks, whites, and Indians who share their language and culture. Thus, although it means "the race," the term is not understood the way "race" is understood in the U.S.

see human trafficking.

historically, lackeys were men. In today's sense of a servile follower, servant, gofer, or toady, a lackey can be either sex.

use with "lass." Or, child, youth.

firefighter. An old synonym was "shepherd" because of the staff-like rescue hooks carried up the ladders by these firefighters.

ladder supervisor, overhead spotter/checker, supervisor, spotter, checker, guard, casino employee.

when used to address an audience, this will probably not set most teeth on edge although it is old-fashioned; also the correct pair for "gentlemen" is "gentlewomen." Many speakers now use terms that are more generic, contemporary, and meaningful: friends, family and friends, delegates, colleagues, members of the association, staff members. Or, omit what is often a meaningless phrase and begin directly, "Welcome." See also gentlewoman, lady (n.).

as they become less common, so will this sexist term, which indicates a secondary, helpmeet role (women's auxiliary is slightly more acceptable and some groups use "alliance" instead of "auxiliary"). Yet these organizations have contributed numerous community benefits. Use "ladies' auxiliary" for groups who so designate themselves.

this term is problematic because there is no precise equivalent for women ("gentlemen's woman"?) and because of the use of "ladies." The lopsided and unattractive "parallels" for women would be the pejorative "femme fatale" and "man-eater." Some alternatives: popular/successful with the women/the men, heartbreaker, hottie, smooth operator, God's gift to men/women. See also femme fatale, lady (n.), philanderer, playboy, womanize/womanizer.

women's room. The parallel term is men's room. Or, simply "restroom."

use this term for a Central American Spanish-speaking or acculturated Indian only if you are familiar with the culture; in some contexts, it is faintly pejorative. "Ladina" has not been seen, but it may be a possibility. Capitalized, Ladino is a Romance language with elements borrowed from Hebrew that is spoken by some Sephardic Jews.

woman. Few cases ever need this as an adjective. See also lady (n.).

woman. Many good people have trouble understanding the objections to "lady." "But isn't that a nice word?" they ask. "The concept of 'lady' goes far beyond a single word to a whole way of life" (Alette Olin Hill, Mother Tongue, Father Time). In its traditional use, "lady" defines women as ornaments or decorations rather than real people, as arbiters of both manners and morals, as members of a leisured class, as beings removed from any hint of sexuality, as needing protection from real life, as "too good" or "too special" to "dirty their hands"; as such, it is classist, condescending, trivializing, and anachronistic. "Lady" was once the equivalent of "knight" in the social order, and it has also been paired with "gentleman," yet neither of these terms is used today in the way "lady" is. Note too that "lady" is used sometimes to express annoyance where "woman" is not ("Hey, lady, I was here first!" or "Look, lady, we're sorry, okay?"). The use of "lady" is unobjectionable when: referring to a female member of the House of Lords; you want to convey a sense of graciousness ("She's a real lady"); it is paired with "gentleman" ("Welcome, ladies and gentlemen"). According to the New York Times Manual of Style and Usage, "Except in wry contexts, lady is obsolete for woman, just as gentleman is obsolete for man." The National Public Radio Style Guide is more curt: "Do not use as a synonym for woman." See also chivalry, lady (adj.), ladylike.

leave as they are.

avoid; for alternatives see girlfriend. See also lady (n.).

luck.

prostitute. These terms are sexist (there are no parallels for men), coy, and imprecise. See also prostitute.

head of the house, householder, homeowner, registered voter, taxpayer, citizen, consumer. See also housewife, man of the house.

servant, attendant, personal attendant/servant. Use "lady-in-waiting" when it is an official title.

this violent term has moved from metaphor to ugly reality with increasing numbers of men murdering women, most often in the context of relationships. For the usual meaning, use instead popular/successful with women.

attendant, personal attendant/servant.

leave as they are.

leave as is.

leave as is.

conveying different meanings according to people's perceptions of what a woman ought or ought not do, say, think, wear, feel, look like, "ladylike" is a subjective cultural judgment. Choose instead precise adjectives: courteous, well-mannered, civil, polite, tender, cooperative, neat, soft-spoken, gentle, aristocratic, cultured, elegant, proper, correct, gracious, considerate, refined, well-bred, kind, well-spoken. These adjectives apply equally well to a man. See also lady (adj.).