mastery
Americannoun
-
full command or understanding of a subject
-
outstanding skill; expertise
-
the power of command; control
-
victory or superiority
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of mastery
1175–1225; master + -y 3; replacing Middle English maistrie < Old French
Explanation
Mastery refers to having great skill at something or total dominance over something. If you are fluent in French, you have a mastery of the language. If you win every game of chess, you show a mastery of the game. Mastery is from master, who is someone knowledgeable about a subject, like a master painter. Masters are also people with power — butlers sometimes call their employer master. Mastery refers to a similar power or ability. Beethoven showed mastery in composing. Shakespeare displayed mastery in writing. Apple has had mastery over the field of computers and smartphones. Often, both senses are mixed: if someone has mastery over a field skill-wise, they probably have mastery in terms of dominance too.
Vocabulary lists containing mastery
Trumps
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Selection Vocabulary 4, Unit 5
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Vocabulary from Readings 2, Unit 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The range of the characters he played showcased the depth of his acting talent and mastery over his craft.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
The combination of an all-around dominant defensive effort, with the Trojans’ usual offensive mastery, offered a glimpse of what USC hopes it can be this season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026
SpaceX’s mastery of building and launching payloads to space has made it the go-to partner for U.S. military and intelligence offices.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
The Constitution is a “liberty document,” and he was responding to a view of the Constitution that saw it as written by powerful men to embody a theory of power and mastery.
From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026
Everything rested upon the brain busters’ mastery of the laws of physics and mathematics.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
Every man that proveth masteries abstaineth from all things.
From The first New Testament printed in English by
But there were elements in the patriotic servant-hood of R. L. Borden, higher than the political masteries of more brilliant men.
From The Masques of Ottawa by Augustus Bridle
Away with your nonsense of oil and easels, of marble and chisels; except to open your eyes to the masteries of eternal art, they are hypocritical rubbish.
From Essays — First Series by Ralph Waldo Emerson
But this is but to try masteries with fortune.
From The Essays of Francis Bacon by Francis Bacon
And to shew their agility, they tried many masteries vpon the ropes of the ship after our mariners fashion, and appeared to be very strong of their armes, and nimble of their bodies.
From The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of The English Nation, Vol. XII., America, Part I. by Richard Hakluyt
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
