Main Entry:

¹mis·ter

Pronunciation:

\ˈmis-tər, for 1 ˌmis-tər or in rapid speech (ˌ)mis(t)\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

alteration of ¹master

Date:

1551

1capitalized : mr. —used sometimes in writing instead of Mr.2: sir —used without a name as a generalized term of direct address of a man who is a stranger <hey, mister, do you want to buy a paper>3: a man not entitled to a title of rank or an honorific or professional title <though he was only a mister, he was a greater scholar in his field than any PhD>4: husband