First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
mistress
noun mis·tress \ˈmis-trəs\
Definition of MISTRESS
1
: a woman who has power, authority, or ownership: as a : the female head of a household b : a woman who employs or supervises servants c : a woman who is in charge of a school or other establishment d : a woman of the Scottish nobility having a status comparable to that of a master
2
a chiefly British : a female teacher or tutor b : a woman who has achieved mastery in some field
3
: something personified as female that rules, directs, or dominates <when Rome was mistress of the world>
4
a : a woman other than his wife with whom a married man has a continuing sexual relationship b archaic : sweetheart
5
a —used archaically as a title prefixed to the name of a married or unmarried woman b chiefly Southern & Midland : mrs. 1a
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Origin of MISTRESS
Middle English maistresse, from Anglo-French mestresse, feminine of mestre master — more at master
Related to MISTRESS
- Synonyms
- concubine, doxy (also doxie), other woman, woman
MISTRESS Defined for Kids
mistress
noun mis·tress \ˈmi-strəs\
Definition of MISTRESS for Kids
1
: a female teacher
2
: a woman who has control or authority over another person, an animal, or a thing <… the old woman had no loyalty toward her mistress … — Esther Forbes, Johnny Tremain>
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