mistress en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈmɪs.tɹɪs/
- (US) audio
- /mɪsˈʈrɛs/ (South-Asia) spelling pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈmɪs.ʈrɪs/ (South-Asia)
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *meǵh₂-der.? Proto-Indo-European *meh₂-der.? Proto-Italic *magisteros Latin magister, magistrum Old French maistre Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-ih₂der. Ancient Greek -ῐᾰ (-ĭă) Ancient Greek -ισσα (-issa)bor. Latin -issader. Old French -esse Old French maistressebor. Middle English maistresse English mistress From Middle English maistresse, from Old French maistresse (whence French maîtresse), feminine of maistre (“master”). By surface analysis, mist(e)r + -ess.
Meanings
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A woman, specifically one with great control, authority or ownership.
At the far end of the houses the head gardener stood waiting for his mistress, and he gave her strips of bass to tie up her nosegay. This she did slowly and laboriously, with knuckly old fingers that shook.
1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XXXIX, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC, page 307:She was the mistress of the estate-mansion, and owned the horses.
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A female head of household.
In came the boy from over the way, who was suspected of not having board enough from his master; trying to hide himself behind the girl from next door but one, who was proved to have had her ears pulled by her Mistress.
1843 December 19, Charles Dickens, “Stave Two. The First of the Three Spirits.”, in A Christmas Carol. […], London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, page 59:
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A female teacher.
games mistress
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The other woman in an extramarital relationship, generally including sexual relations.
“But soon his wrath being o’er, he took / “Another mistress, or new book:
1819, Lord Byron, Mazeppa, a Poem, London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, page 11:Count Krivtsov was considered a hopeless case by everyone, and yet he kept two mistresses.
1901 [1878], chapter 20, in Constance Garnett, transl., Anna Karenina, translation of Анна Каренина (Anna Karenina) by Leo Tolstoy, part 7:
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A dominatrix.
As part of BDSM play they can enhance the domineering tread of a mistress or hobble the steps of a slave.
2006, Amelia May Kingston, The Triumph of Hope, page 376:
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A woman well skilled in anything, or having the mastery over it.
A letter desires all young wives to make themselves mistresses of Wingate's Arithmetic.
1711 June 25 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “THURSDAY, June 15, 1711”, in The Spectator, number 92; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume I, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC:
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A woman regarded with love and devotion; a sweetheart.
he could not forbear putting his horse out of the way , and rode with his mistress behind him round about it
1702–1704, Edward [Hyde, 1st] Earl of Clarendon, (please specify |book=I to XVI), in The History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in England, Begun in the Year 1641. […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed at the [Sheldonian] Theater:
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(Scotland) A married woman; a wife.
Several of the neighbouring mistresses […] had assembled to witness the event of this memorable evening.
1815 February 24, [Walter Scott], Guy Mannering; or, The Astrologer. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and Archibald Constable and Co., […], →OCLC:
- (archaic) A respectful mode of address to a woman.
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(obsolete) The jack in the game of bowls.
She took a bowl, drew up her skirt with her left hand, and rolled the weighted ball with a deft motion. It lightly kissed the mistress and stopped a few inches away.
2001, Paul Hemenway Altrocchi, Most Greatly Lived:Faith, keep a bachelor still, and go to bowls, sir, Follow your mistress there, and prick and save, sir; For other mistresses will make you a slave, sir
c. 1613, Thomas Middleton, William Rowley, “Wit at Several Weapons. A Comedy.”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
- A female companion to a master (a man with control, authority or ownership).
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(feminine, form-of) Female equivalent of master.
form of master
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(feminine, form-of) Female equivalent of mister.
form of mister
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| mistresses | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| mistris | alternative, obsolete | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Coordinates
master · master · cicisbeo · fancy man · master
Deriveds
miss · jobmistress · spellmistress · cruel mistress · mistress of the robes · swordmistress · toastmistress · guildmistress · game mistress · swordsmistress · mistressmind · mistresshood · workmistress · wardrobe mistress · mistressly · bandmistress · manstress · quartermistress · spymistress · loremistress · scoutmistress · whoremistress · Mrs. · fickle mistress · mistressy · concertmistress · mistressdom · harbormistress · harsh mistress · blogmistress · choirmistress · Mistress Santa Claus · beastmistress · dungeon mistress · webmistress · shipmistress · quizmistress · wagonmistress · mistresspiece · housemistress · headmistress · past mistress · Mrs · Ms · mistressless · Miss · stationmistress · Ms. · herbmistress · grandmistress · Jill of all trades, mistress of none · ringmistress · taskmistress · schoolmistress · runemistress · dockmistress · mistressship · paymistress · ballet mistress · subpostmistress · slavemistress · misteress · mistress of ceremonies · postmistress
Descendants
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
kept woman · courtesan · grass widow
Synonyms
side chick · goomah · wifelet · bit on the side · concubine · dulcinea · wench · boss · leman · loon · number two · goomah · side ting · head · side bitch · bit on the side · leader · strumpet · doxy · comaré · sprunk · fancy woman · schoolmarm · minx · mistress · side piece
Translations (224)
bg преподава́телка (female teacher) · es dueña (woman of authority) · de Liebhaberin (woman in extramarital relationship) · la domina (dominatrix) · es ama (dominatrix) · nl mevrouw (woman of authority) · rom siklǎrni (female teacher) · da elskerinde (woman in extramarital relationship) · uz oʻynash (woman in extramarital relationship) · scn patruna (woman of authority) · eo amaĵistino (woman in extramarital relationship) · nrf maitrêsse (woman of authority) · pl kochanka (woman in extramarital relationship) · lv mīļākā (woman in extramarital relationship) · nn lærarinne (female teacher) · az məşuqə (woman in extramarital relationship) · hi उपपत्नी (woman in extramarital relationship) · da lærerinde (female teacher) · scn signura (woman of authority) · ko 정부 (woman in extramarital relationship) · pl pani (woman of authority) · sv älskarinna (woman in extramarital relationship) · la magistra (female teacher) · eo instruistino (female teacher) · sh на́ста̄вница (female teacher) · fa شهبانو (woman of authority) · sh nástāvnica (female teacher) · gl señora (woman of authority) · nrf maitrêsse (female teacher) · de Lehrerin (female teacher) · kk көңілдес әйел (woman in extramarital relationship) · fa معشوقه (woman in extramarital relationship) · ro ibovnică (woman in extramarital relationship) · uk коха́нка (woman in extramarital relationship) · ru хозя́йка (dominatrix) · cmn 情婦 /情妇 (woman in extramarital relationship) · te ఉంపుడుకత్తె (woman in extramarital relationship) · nl buitenvrouw (woman in extramarital relationship) · mk љубо́вница (woman in extramarital relationship) · el κυρία (woman of authority) · ang hlǣfdīġe (woman of authority) · uz mashuqa (woman in extramarital relationship) · mk сто́панка (woman of authority) · be гаспады́ня (woman of authority) · te సెకండ్ సెటప్ (woman in extramarital relationship) · cmn 姘頭 /姘头 (woman in extramarital relationship) · de Frau (woman of authority) · de Meisterin (woman of authority) · ko 애인 (woman in extramarital relationship) · eo mastrino (woman of authority) · et armastaja (woman in extramarital relationship) · nb lærerinne (female teacher) · fr maîtresse (woman of authority) · it amante (woman in extramarital relationship) · sh господа̀рица (dominatrix) · sw suria (woman in extramarital relationship) · be каха́нка (woman in extramarital relationship) · cmn 相好 (woman in extramarital relationship) · bg учи́телка (female teacher) · hu domina (dominatrix) · es maestra (female teacher) · da herskerinde (woman of authority) · eo amantino (woman in extramarital relationship) · nn frøken (female teacher) · sh gospodàrica (dominatrix) · uk хазя́йка (woman of authority) · de Domina (dominatrix) · cmn 姘婦 /姘妇 (woman in extramarital relationship) · tl kerida (woman in extramarital relationship) · gd bana-mhaighstir (woman of authority) · is frilla (woman in extramarital relationship) · fr amante (woman in extramarital relationship) · hy սիրուհի (woman in extramarital relationship) · nl minnares (woman in extramarital relationship) · fi rouva (woman of authority) · he גבירה (woman of authority) · eo sinjorino (woman of authority) · gv colhiabbagh (woman in extramarital relationship) · kk ашына әйел (woman in extramarital relationship) · hu úrnő (dominatrix) · eo mastrino (dominatrix) · tr metres (woman in extramarital relationship) · it maestra (female teacher) · de Herrscherin (woman of authority) · grc δέσποινα (woman of authority) · id gundik (woman in extramarital relationship) · ru госпожа́ (woman of authority) · sq dashnore (woman in extramarital relationship) · ga máistreás (female teacher) · ja 愛人 (woman in extramarital relationship) · es manceba (woman in extramarital relationship) · th นายหญิง (woman of authority) · gl querida (woman in extramarital relationship) · egy H-nw:t-B1 (woman of authority) · sh ljúbāvnica (woman in extramarital relationship) · sh шва̀ле̄рка (woman in extramarital relationship) · ro amantă (woman in extramarital relationship) · tg маъшуқа (woman in extramarital relationship) · he פִּילֶגֶשׁ (woman in extramarital relationship) · sh švàlērka (woman in extramarital relationship) · gl mendroa (woman in extramarital relationship) · es barragana (woman in extramarital relationship) · ar سَيِّدَة (woman of authority) · rom piramni (woman in extramarital relationship) · kk ханым (woman of authority) · sh господа̀рица (woman of authority) · vi người yêu (woman in extramarital relationship) · gl querindaina (woman in extramarital relationship) · kn ಸೆಕೆಂಡ್ ಸೆಟಪ್ (woman in extramarital relationship) · sh учитѐљица (female teacher) · es amante (woman in extramarital relationship) · pt senhora (woman of authority) · el ερωμένη (woman in extramarital relationship) · is hjákona (woman in extramarital relationship) · jam matey (woman in extramarital relationship) · fi rakastajatar (woman in extramarital relationship) · sv härskarinna (woman of authority) · af minnares (woman in extramarital relationship) · ca amistançada (woman in extramarital relationship) · gl amante (woman in extramarital relationship) · es querida (woman in extramarital relationship) · th ก้นครัว (woman in extramarital relationship) · nrf contchubinne (woman in extramarital relationship) · th คนรัก (woman in extramarital relationship) · cs milenka (woman in extramarital relationship) · fi opettajatar (female teacher) · th อีหนู (woman in extramarital relationship) · sh učitèljica (female teacher) · cmn 姦婦 /奸妇 (woman in extramarital relationship) · pt professora (female teacher) · gl miona (woman of authority) · lv skolotāja (female teacher) · pt dominatriz (dominatrix) · nl juf (female teacher) · el κυρία (female teacher) · mk шва́лерка (woman in extramarital relationship) · lv pasniedzēja (female teacher) · ja 情婦 (woman in extramarital relationship) · gl profesora (female teacher) · sk milenka (woman in extramarital relationship) · af houvrou (woman in extramarital relationship) · mk наста́вничка (female teacher) · lv brūte (woman in extramarital relationship) · ru влады́чица (dominatrix) · ar خَلِيلَة (woman in extramarital relationship) · gl ama (woman of authority) · mk газда́рица (woman of authority) · be палюбо́ўніца (woman in extramarital relationship) · nl meesteres (woman of authority) · sh љу́ба̄вница (woman in extramarital relationship) · bg любо́вница (woman in extramarital relationship) · et armuke (woman in extramarital relationship) · scn gna (woman of authority) · ru хозя́йка (woman of authority) · fa عاشق (woman in extramarital relationship) · ar عَشِيقَة (woman in extramarital relationship) · mk учи́телка (female teacher) · pt amante (woman in extramarital relationship) · gl mestra (female teacher) · it signora (woman of authority) · ga máistreás (woman of authority) · nb elskerinne (woman in extramarital relationship) · bg госпо́дарка (woman of authority) · nl meesteres (dominatrix) · la domina (woman of authority) · hu szerető (woman in extramarital relationship) · hu úrnő (woman of authority) · gl ama (dominatrix) · nb frøken (female teacher) · th คุณนาย (woman of authority) · de Mätresse (woman in extramarital relationship) · gl misía (woman of authority) · cmn 相好的 (woman in extramarital relationship) · th นาง (woman of authority) · ru любо́вница (woman in extramarital relationship) · gl druda (woman in extramarital relationship) · mk госпо́дарка (woman of authority) · bg наста́вница (female teacher) · sq zojush (female teacher) · ga bean luí (woman in extramarital relationship) · ky тамыр аял (woman in extramarital relationship) · sl ljubimka (woman in extramarital relationship) · eo amdonantino (woman in extramarital relationship) · sl ljubica (woman in extramarital relationship) · hi शिक्षिका (female teacher) · nb frue (woman of authority) · hi अध्यापिका (female teacher) · ota سیده (woman of authority) · gl madama (woman of authority) · mk госпо́дарка (dominatrix) · hu tanárnő (female teacher) · da frue (woman of authority) · nn elskarinne (woman in extramarital relationship) · fa بانو (woman of authority) · tl kabit (woman in extramarital relationship) · ca mestressa (woman of authority) · it padrona (dominatrix) · lt meilužė (woman in extramarital relationship) · sq zonjë (woman of authority) · sh gȁzdarica (woman of authority) · fr maîtresse (woman in extramarital relationship) · bg госпожа́ (female teacher) · it dominatrice (dominatrix) · rom rani (woman of authority) · gl patroa (dominatrix) · te ఉంపుడుగత్తె (woman in extramarital relationship) · ru прави́тельница (dominatrix) · nn frue (woman of authority) · be спада́рка (woman of authority) · fi valtiatar (dominatrix) · scn donna (woman of authority) · sh га̏здарица (woman of authority) · uz mahbuba (woman in extramarital relationship) · it padrona (woman of authority) · ka საყვარელი (woman in extramarital relationship) · fr maîtresse (female teacher) · sh gospodàrica (woman of authority) · ota قادین (woman of authority) · hi रखैल (woman in extramarital relationship) · th กิ๊ก (woman in extramarital relationship) · la paelex (woman in extramarital relationship) · ky ойнош (woman in extramarital relationship) · uk господи́ня (woman of authority) · th เมียน้อย (woman in extramarital relationship)