master

1 of 3

noun

mas·​ter ˈma-stər How to pronounce master (audio)
plural masters
1
a(1)
: a male teacher
(2)
: a person holding an academic degree higher than a bachelor's but lower than a doctor's
also : the degree itself
b
often capitalized : a revered religious leader
c
: a worker or artisan qualified to teach apprentices compare apprentice entry 1 sense 1b, journeyman sense 1
d(1)
: an artist, performer, or player of consummate (see consummate entry 1 sense 1) skill
(2)
: a great figure of the past (as in science or art) whose work serves as a model or ideal
2
a
: one having authority over another : ruler, governor
This decisive battle left him master of Europe.
b
: one that conquers or masters : victor, superior
in the new challenger the champion found his master
c
: a person licensed to command a merchant ship
d
: one having control
proved himself master of the situation
e
: an owner especially of an animal
f
: the employer especially of a servant
g
: a person who holds another person in slavery
h(1)
dialect : husband
(2)
: the male head of a household
3
a(1)
archaic : mr.
(2)
: a youth or boy too young to be called mister
used as a title
b
: the eldest son of a Scottish viscount or baron (see baron sense 2a)
4
a
: a presiding (see preside sense 2) officer in an institution or society (such as a college)
b
: any of several officers of court appointed to assist (as by hearing and reporting) a judge
5
a
: a master mechanism (see mechanism sense 1) or device
b
: an original from which copies can be made
especially : a master recording (such as a magnetic tape)
mastership noun

master

2 of 3

adjective

: being or relating to a master: such as
a
: having chief authority : dominant
b
: skilled, proficient
a prosperous master builderCurrent Biography
d
: superlative
often used in combination
a master-liar
e
: being a device or mechanism that controls the operation of another mechanism or that establishes a standard (such as a dimension or weight)
f
: being or relating to a master from which duplicates are made

master

3 of 3

verb

mastered; mastering ˈma-st(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce master (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to become master of : overcome
mastered his fears
2
a
: to become skilled or proficient in the use of
master a foreign language
b
: to gain a thorough understanding of
had mastered every aspect of publishingCurrent Biography
3
: to produce a master recording of (something, such as a musical rendition)

Examples of master in a Sentence

Noun the master and mistress of the house She is a master of her craft. Adjective a master craftsman who makes fine wood furniture of his own designs Verb She mastered French in college. He is determined to master every aspect of the business.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Grill masters from across the country vie to win their share of the $10,000 prize for best ribs, chicken, and barbecue. Trudy Haywood Saunders, Travel + Leisure, 4 Mar. 2024 Upstairs, a 2,200-square-foot master retreat flaunts a bar, sitting room, dual showroom closets and marble baths, and an 800-square-foot balcony with dazzling views of the ocean and city lights. James McClain, Robb Report, 4 Mar. 2024 Become a master disruptor with these ChatGPT prompts Challenge assumptions Your assumptions are not serving you in some way. Jodie Cook, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The duo says Galaxy Label Group will give songwriters a percentage of the master royalties (out of the label’s share) on every recording for the label, including Locash’s upcoming album. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 29 Feb. 2024 Curated by graduate students from the school’s masters program for fashion and textile studies, the show features 50 era-spanning garments and accessories. John Wogan Juliet Izon Gisela Williams Lindsey Tramuta Julia Halperin Jameson Montgomery, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024 Texas smoke masters use dry rubs for their brisket. Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Feb. 2024 In 2019, a group of musicians—led by David Johansen of New York Dolls, John Lyon, and Paul Collins—filed a class-action lawsuit against Sony Music Entertainment, seeking control of their master recordings. Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 28 Feb. 2024 The master facility plan approved Monday continues previous facility reductions at Northwest in recent years. Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 28 Feb. 2024
Adjective
The new board will comprise 11 master sommeliers, plus four non-master sommelier members. Esther Mobley, SFChronicle.com, 12 Nov. 2020 And coming back to her non-master suite? Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 8 Dec. 2022 On the lower deck, owners can choose between three or four cabins, with a mid-master stateroom anchoring the layout. Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 24 Aug. 2022 Some of the most intriguing whiskey coming out of Beam these days is the work of Freddie Noe (who now holds the title of co-master distiller with his father Fred Noe), specifically his Little Book lineup of blended whiskeys. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 29 May 2022 There is a private entrance to the master suite and office, a large guest suite with a bathroom and an ADU with a separate entry on the lower level. oregonlive, 27 June 2020 The interior features high ceilings, custom millwork, and walnut floors and paneling, and the master suite has his-and-her baths and closets, a sitting area, and a balcony. TheWeek, 27 June 2020 Is Keaton physically hunky enough to play the master CIA death machine? Michael Heaton, cleveland.com, 15 Sep. 2017
Verb
In all likelihood, some percentage of those salaries will be funneled into the Houthi war machine, which has mastered various methods of extorting cash from an impoverished population. Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2024 Both paths demand a significant commitment to mastering a broad range of financial and accounting principles, with the CFA® requiring deep knowledge of investment analysis and the CPA covering a wide spectrum of accounting practices. Bryce Welker, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2024 The artist as stylist While painting clothing is a skill all portrait artists must master, Sargent’s relationship to his sitter’s outfits is unique. Leah Dolan, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024 One thing becomes clear when witnessing the transformative journey of the CMO: The path ahead is not just about mastering the current landscape but anticipating the future. Jonathan Kaufman, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Williams has mastered the art of keeping his head down and getting the job done. Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 25 Feb. 2024 Don’t Forget Me was mixed by Shawn Everett and mastered by longtime Rogers collaborator Emily Lazar. Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 22 Feb. 2024 Risk, the domain investment managers must master to make money for investors, is the key word to bear in mind and a guide to how the investment management industry is already using AI. Lawrence Wintermeyer, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 Though initially apprehensive, the pair embrace Aang as their friend and join him on his quest to master the other elements, end the Fire Nation’s war and restore balance to the world. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 22 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'master.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun, Adjective, and Verb

Middle English, from Old English magister & Anglo-French meistre, both from Latin magister; akin to Latin magnus large — more at much

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Adjective

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of master was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near master

Cite this Entry

“Master.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/master. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

master

1 of 3 noun
mas·​ter ˈmas-tər How to pronounce master (audio)
1
a
: a male teacher
b
: a person holding an academic degree between a bachelor's and a doctor's
2
a
: an independent skilled worker
especially : one qualified to teach apprentices
b
: an artist or performer of great skill
3
a
: one having authority : ruler
b
: one that conquers or masters
c
: the captain of a merchant ship
d
: an owner especially of a slave or animal
e
: the employer especially of a servant
4
used as a title for a boy too young to be called mister
5
: a master machine or device
mastership noun

master

2 of 3 adjective
1
: being a master
a master carpenter
2
: being the main or guiding one
a master plan
3
: controlling the operation of other devices
a master clock

master

3 of 3 verb
mastered; mastering -t(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce master (audio)
1
: overcome sense 1, subdue
master an enemy
master a desire
2
: to become skilled at
master arithmetic
Etymology

Noun

Middle English master "master," from Old English magister and early French meistre, both meaning "master" and both from Latin magister "master, teacher, one who holds high political or military office" — related to maestro, magistrate, mistress

Legal Definition

master

1 of 2 noun
mas·​ter
1
: an individual or entity (as a corporation) having control or authority over another: as
a
: the owner of a slave
b
: employer compare servant
2
: an officer of the court appointed (as under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 53) to assist a judge in a particular case by hearing and reporting on the case, sometimes by making findings of fact and conclusions of law, and by performing various related functions

Note: Under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, a master may be a magistrate or else may be a person with some special expertise in the matter. The word master as used in the Federal Rules encompasses a referee, an auditor, an examiner, and an assessor. If the master makes findings of fact, they are reviewable de novo by the court except when the parties have stipulated that the findings will be reviewed for clear error or that the master's findings are to be final.

master

2 of 2 adjective
: being the principal or controlling one : governing a number of subordinate like things
a master insurance policy

More from Merriam-Webster on master

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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