ms

1 of 3

abbreviation (1)

millisecond

Ms.

2 of 3

noun

ˈmiz 

variants US Ms. or British Ms

plural Mss. or Mses. ˈmi-zəz 

—used as a conventional title of courtesy before a woman's surname

My history teacher is Ms. Judson

—used instead of Miss or Mrs. (as when the marital status of a woman is unknown or irrelevant)

Ms. Mary Smith

"I think you do want to dispute the fact that you had a difficult childhood," Ms. Johnston told Mrs. Gore, who was silent for several beats, then agreed.

—Katha Pollitt

But it wasn't until the 1970s that Ms. took its place in the emerging women's liberation movement. It was a heady time for women, and the new prefix represented an important new way for them to define themselves as individuals, rather than in terms of their relationship to men.

—Carol Toller

MS

3 of 3

abbreviation (2)

1

[Italian mano sinistra] left hand

2

manuscript

3

master of science

4

military science

5

Mississippi

6

motor ship

7

multiple sclerosis

Examples of ms in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

After several unsuccessful attempts to privately resolve this case, Ms. Abashe was left no choice other than to file. —Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 15 May 2024

In an interview conducted after Monday’s proceedings, Ms. Tully spoke to Times Insider — from a hallway in the courthouse — about the case against Mr. Menendez, and its reverberations in New Jersey. —Terence McGinley, New York Times, 14 May 2024

In Spain, the majority of golden visa recipients are elites from Russia, China, and Iran, says Ms. Schmid Porras. —Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 May 2024

Prior to its violation by Ms. Clifford and her attorney, this was a private agreement. —Graham Kates, CBS News, 13 May 2024

So, to answer Ms. Sandberg’s question, yes, the world is listening. —Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 10 May 2024

Those innocuous words marked something momentous: the first time that jurors have seen direct evidence of the hush-money payment to Ms. Daniels. —Jesse McKinley, New York Times, 2 May 2024

Wearing a Daily Tar Heel hoodie, Ms. Reilly watched national news reporters stand in front of cameras for live shots before heading home one recent evening. —David Bauder and Christine Fernando, The Christian Science Monitor, 2 May 2024

But in the final hours, Ms. Hochul exerted her leverage, injecting the issue back into budget talks just as the Legislature was seeking concessions on another sensitive matter: protections for tenants. —Grace Ashford, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

probably blend of Miss and Mrs.

First Known Use

Noun

1901, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

Ms.

noun

(ˌ)miz 

plural Mss. or Mses. ˈmiz-əz 

—used instead of Miss or Mrs. (as when it is unknown or unimportant whether the woman addressed is married or single)

Etymology

Noun

probably a combination of Miss and Mrs.

Medical Definition

ms

1 of 2 abbreviation

millisecond

MS

2 of 2 abbreviation

1

mass spectrometry

2

master of science

3

multiple sclerosis