The word lady is a civil term of respect for a woman, specifically the female equivalent to gentleman, and also an English-language formal title. "Lady" is used before the surname of a woman with a title of nobility or honorary title suo jure, or the wife of a lord, a baronet, and a knight, and also before the first name of the daughter of a Duke, Marquess, or Earl. Once used to describe only women of a high social class, race, community, and status; now the term is commonly used to refer to any respectable adult woman, or even any woman. However, from a conservative point of view this usage is still controversial, just as it is for all adult men to be deemed to be "gentlemen".