mistress

mis·tress

noun \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

Examples of MISTRESS

1. Servants were required to do the mistress's bidding without question.
2. The dog was always obedient to its master and mistress.
3. the master and mistress of the house
4. a married man who has a mistress
5. His wife suspected that the woman she'd seen with him was his mistress.

Origin of MISTRESS

Middle English maistresse, from Anglo-French mestresse, feminine of mestre master — more at master

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to MISTRESS

Synonyms

concubine, doxy (also doxie), other woman, woman

Related Words

lover, paramour; courtesan, demimondaine, demirep, odalisque; harlot, prostitute, strumpet, whore; girlfriend