Dictionary

Miss en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• mĭs
• /ˈmɪz/ (colloquial)
• /mɪs/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From mistress.

Meanings

1. A form of address, now used chiefly for an unmarried woman; used chiefly of girls before the mid-1700s, and thereafter used also of adult women without regard to marital status.
   • Mrs. Gardiner would be happy to see Miss March and Miss Josephine at a little dance on New-Year's-Eve. 1869, Louisa May Alcott, Little Women:
2. A form of address, now used chiefly for an unmarried woman; used chiefly of girls before the mid-1700s, and thereafter used also of adult women without regard to marital status. ▸ With a surname.
   • These are the two young ladies that I wanted you to meet, Miss Jones and Miss Robinson.
3. A form of address, now used chiefly for an unmarried woman; used chiefly of girls before the mid-1700s, and thereafter used also of adult women without regard to marital status. ▸ With a full name.
   • The victim was named as Miss Jane Doe.
4. (dated, regional) A form of address, now used chiefly for an unmarried woman; used chiefly of girls before the mid-1700s, and thereafter used also of adult women without regard to marital status. ▸ With a first name only.
   • Excuse me Ma'am, will Miss Julia and Miss Emily be staying for tea?
   • She was so mad she wouldn't speak to me for quite a spell, but at last I coaxed her into going up to Miss Emmeline's room and fetching down a tintype of the missing Deacon man. 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VI, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
5. (dated) A form of address, now used chiefly for an unmarried woman; used chiefly of girls before the mid-1700s, and thereafter used also of adult women without regard to marital status. ▸ Used alone.
   • Good morning, Miss. May I help you?
6. A form of address for a female teacher or a waitress.
   • Excuse me, Miss, Donny's been pinching my pencils again.
7. Used in title of the (female) winner of a beauty contest, or certain other types of contest, prefixing the country or other region that she represents, or the category of contest.
   • And I can now announce that this year's Miss Personality is ... Doris Miggins!
   • Ladies and gentlemen, please give a round of applause to our lovely new Miss Yorkshire!
8. (derogatory, often, sarcastic) Used in a mock title to point out some quality, or alleged quality, of a girl or woman.
   • Don't ask me, ask Miss know-it-all over there.

Forms

Deriveds

Miss Piggy · Miss Fidditch · Miss Thang · Miss Thing · Miss Ann · Miss Lucy · Miss Girl · Miss Wrong · Miss Emma

Descendants

搣时 · 搣時 · মিস

Translations (100)

ko 미스 (title) · ur آنِسَہ (title) · fa مادمازل (title) · km អ្នកគ្រូ (title) · km នាង (title) · ru madam) госпожа́ (title) · hi मिस (title) · ms cik (title) · km កញ្ញា (title) · tl (Bb.) binibini (title) · de Miss (title) · ja お嬢さん (title) · yue 小姐 (title) · pl panna (title) · de Frau (title) · fo frøkun (title) · is fröken (title) · uk па́нна (title) · sk slečna (title) · mk мис (title) · uk ба́ришня (title) · be madam) па́ні (title) · pt senhorita (title) · el μις (title) · ro domnișoara (title) · eu andereño (title) · cmn 小姐 (title) · mk госпо́ѓица (title) · is ungfrú (title) · ko 숙녀 (title) · ko 아가씨 (title) · el δεσποινίς (title) · id nona (title) · sh gȍspođica (title) · ru де́вушка (title) · dsb kněžna (title) · km អ្នកនាង (title) · lv kundze (title) · sq zonjushë (title) · mt sinjorina (title) · vi chị (title) · be спада́рычна (title) · th นางสาว (title) · io damzelo (title) · el δεσποινίδα (title) · tr bayan (title) · sh gđica (title) · lt panelė (title) · nl mejuffrouw (title) · hy օրիորդ (title) · lb Joffer (title) · ckb خوشکە (title) · hi कुमारी (title) · be madam) спада́рыня (title) · hi सुश्री (title) · et preili (title) · az xanımqız (title) · af mej. (title) · nl juffrouw (title) · cy bonesig (title) · af juffrou (title) · it signorina (title) · uk madam) па́ні (title) · bg госпо́жица (title) · fa دوشیزه (title) · hu kisasszony (title) · lv kundzene (title) · oc domaisèla (title) · es seño (title) · gd maighdeann (title) · cs slečna (title) · ro Dra (title) · ar آنِسَة (title) · sv fröken (title) · vi cô (title) · sl gospodična (title) · fi neiti (Nti) (title) · la dominula (title) · ga iníon (title) · ru ба́рышня (title) · ga ógbhean (title) · fr madame (title) · sa कुमाऋ (title) · fa دختر خانم (title) · es señorita (title) · ja -さん (title) · eo fraŭlino (title) · ccc ic̈hulupa (title) · sh го̏спођица (title) · de Fräulein (title) · ka ქალიშვილი (title) · ru мадемуазе́ль (title) · da frøken (title) · gv cronnaghey (title) · be па́нна (title) · ja お嬢様 (title) · fr mademoiselle (title) · sh гђица (title) · oui 𐽲𐽰𐾀𐽳𐽺 (title) · nb frøken (title)