Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
🇬🇧 Margaret Thatcher 👩‍💼 A strong woman leader
Iron Lady

Iron Lady

1 7.2
A nickname for a woman political leader, not only Margaret Thatcher, seen as strong and strict
  • noun
  • /ˈaɪərn ˈleɪdi/
  • Literature
translation icon : Dama de Hierro
  • The mayor earned a reputation as an Iron Lady for refusing to negotiate on city budget cuts.

Examples

  • Known for her decisive leadership, she quickly earned the title of Iron Lady among her supporters and critics alike.

  • The media called her the Iron Lady for her decisive leadership.

  • Many commentators called Angela Merkel the Iron Lady of Europe after her strong economic decisions.

  • Reporters dubbed the new party leader an Iron Lady because she demanded strict discipline from members.

  • Angela Merkel is often referred to as the Iron Lady of Germany.

  • The new president, often referred to as the Iron Lady, has implemented strict policies to address the country's challenges.

  • With her uncompromising stance on reform, the governor has rightfully been dubbed the Iron Lady of state politics.

Surface Forms

Iron Lady singular
Iron Ladies plural

Morphology

iron + lady

The core meaning — a woman characterized as very strong, strict, or unyielding — is directly derivable from combining 'iron' (metaphorically very strong) with 'lady' (a woman), so a B1 learner who knows both words will recover the basic sense. The specific political/epithet use (as for leaders like Margaret Thatcher) is contextual but does not make the phrase non-compositional, making it broadly transparent.

Etymology

Iron Lady is also used for other women leaders. The image is of a Lady made of Iron, a woman who will not bend, so people use it to say a leader is 'tough' or 'strict'.