plural mistresses
1
: a woman who has control or power over others: such as
a
: a woman who has a servant or slave
Servants were required to do the mistress's bidding without question.
b
: a woman who owns a pet (such as a dog)
The dog was always obedient to its master and mistress.
c
formal
: the female head of a household
the master and mistress of the house
2
: a woman who has control of something
She proved herself (to be) mistress of the situation.
3
: a woman who has a sexual relationship with a married man
a married man who has/keeps a mistress
His wife suspected that the woman she'd seen with him was his mistress.
4
a
chiefly British, old-fashioned
: a female teacher : schoolmistress
b
—used as a title for the female head of certain British colleges
She was Mistress of Girton (College).
5
old-fashioned
—used as a title before the name of a woman
Mistress Jones
Cite this Entry
“Mistress.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/mistress. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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