Dame is an honorific title and the feminine form of address for the honour of damehood in many Christian chivalric orders, as well as the British honours system and those of several other Commonwealth realms, such as Australia and New Zealand, with the masculine form of address being Sir. It is the female equivalent of a knighthood, which is traditionally granted to males. Dame is also a style used by baronetesses in their own right.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dame