master

[ mas-ter, mah-ster ]

/ ˈmæs tər, ˈmɑ stər /

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See synonyms for: master / mastered / mastering / masters on Thesaurus.com

noun

a person with the ability or power to use, control, or dispose of something: a master of six languages;to be master of one's fate.

an owner of enslaved people, in the institution of chattel slavery; a slaveholder: Antebellum laws and codes in the South restricted the circumstances under which masters could free African Americans from slavery.

an owner of a pet or other animal: The dog waited at the end of the lane every evening to greet his master coming home.

Older Use. the male head of a household: As the oldest son, he felt a lot of pressure to act as the master of the house after his father’s passing.

Older Use. an employer of workers or servants: The valet unpacked his master’s luggage prior to his arrival.

Sometimes Master . the dominant sexual partner in a BDSM relationship of unequal power.

a person eminently skilled in something, as an occupation, art, or science:the great masters of the Impressionist period.

a person whose teachings others accept or follow: a Zen master.

Chiefly British. a male teacher or schoolmaster.

a worker qualified to teach apprentices and to carry on a trade independently.

a title given to a bridge or chess player who has won or placed in a certain number of officially recognized tournaments.

a person holding this title.

Also called mas·ter mar·i·ner

[mas-ter mar-uh-ner, mah-ster] /ˈmæs tər ˈmær ə nər, ˈmɑ stər/ . a person who commands a merchant ship; captain.

a victor or conqueror.

a presiding officer.

an officer of the court to whom some or all of the issues in a case may be referred for the purpose of taking testimony and making a report to the court.

the Master. Christianity. Jesus Christ.

a person who has been awarded a master's degree.

a boy or young man (used chiefly as a term of address).

Also called matrix . an original document, drawing, manuscript, etc., from which copies are made.

Machinery, Computers. a device or process that controls another device or process operating in a similar way.Compare slave (def. 5).

Recording.

matrix (def. 14).
an audio disk or tape from which duplicates may be made.

Computers an original data file or disk from which duplicates may be made.

Also called cop·y neg·a·tive

[kop-ee neg-uh-tiv] /ˈkɒp i ˈnɛg ə tɪv/ .Photography. a film, usually a negative, used primarily for making large quantities of prints.

master of foxhounds.

Archaic. a work of art produced by a master.

adjective

being master; exercising mastery; dominant.

chief or principal: a master list.

directing or controlling:a master switch.

of or relating to a master from which duplicates are made: a master recording;the master copy of a piece of software.The master film had been misfiled in the archives.

dominating or predominant: a master play.

being a master of some occupation, art, etc.; eminently skilled: a master diplomat;a master pianist.

being a master carrying on one's trade independently, rather than a worker employed by another: a master plumber.

characteristic of a master; showing expert skill, ability, or knowledge: The chosen design was a master achievement that still amazes architects, engineers, and scientists today.

verb (used with object)

to make oneself master of; become an adept in: to master a language.

to conquer or overcome: to master one's pride.

to rule or direct as master: to master a crew.

Recording. to produce a master audio file, disk, phonograph record, or tape of: The producer recorded, mixed, and mastered the new album.

OTHER WORDS FOR master

1 adept, expert.

29 main, leading, primary, prime, cardinal.

34 adept, expert, skillful.

36 subdue, control.

37 govern, manage.

See synonyms for master on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of master

First recorded before 900; Middle English maistre, maister, Old English magister, from Latin; akin to magnus “great”

OTHER WORDS FROM master

mas·ter·less, adjectiveout·mas·ter, verb (used with object)sub·mas·ter, nounun·der·mas·ter, noun

un·mas·tered, adjectivewell-mas·tered, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use master in a sentence

These communities having been waiting for decades for park upgrades but more importantly for more park land and in that the parks master plan fails to deliver.
Improving San Diego’s Parks Will Take More Input and Money|Karin Zirk|August 27, 2020|Voice of San Diego
You might hope, naively, that by taking the cohomology of this space — finding its algebraic structure — you could calculate the weights for the master integrals that support it.
The Mathematical Structure of Particle Collisions Comes Into View|Charlie Wood|August 20, 2020|Quanta Magazine
Even the evolutionary master himself was appalled on occasion.
Just Because It’s Natural Doesn’t Mean It’s Good - Issue 89: The Dark Side|David P. Barash|August 19, 2020|Nautilus
This produces dramatically more energy than the process of fission that we’ve already mastered and doesn’t produce long-lived radioactive waste.
Construction of the World’s Biggest Nuclear Fusion Plant Just Started in France|Edd Gent|August 3, 2020|Singularity Hub

Get in touch with keyword specialists to master keyword research and incorporation.
What Google says about nofollow, sponsored, and UGC links in 2020: Does it affect your SEO rankings?|Joseph Dyson|July 24, 2020|Search Engine Watch
In movies, that language, visual and verbal, has yet to be mastered.
Why Can’t Movies Capture Genius?|Clive Irving|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He knew this was a way to reach people, and he mastered the technique.
What Lincoln Could Teach Fox News|Scott Porch|November 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
So, the whole song was written, mixed, recorded, and mastered in 90 minutes.
The Making of Kiesza: From Navy Sharpshooter to Beauty Queen to Pop Diva|Marlow Stern|October 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
With the eyes of the world upon him, he met the moment and mastered it.
Martin Luther King’s Nobel Speech Is an Often Ignored Masterpiece|Malcolm Jones|October 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After eleven years directing different themes of “Nightmare,” Harlacher has mastered the art of shock and panic.
New York’s Scariest Night Out: The Ghosts, Rats, and Lunatics of ‘Nightmare New York’|Justin Jones|October 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This lesson in figures is given for the benefit of those who have not yet mastered Numeric Thinking.
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)
When the method is mastered, the application of it is made with the greatest ease and pleasure.
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)
If the pupil has mastered the Figure Alphabet he will proceed with the greatest satisfaction and profit.
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)
After I have mastered the passages I am to learn a whole study, first with each hand alone, and then with both together!
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay
Like the Abbe Sieyes, Mr. Paine had completely mastered the science of government, which was in fact extremely simple.
The Eve of the Revolution|Carl Becker

British Dictionary definitions for master (1 of 2)

master

/ (ˈmɑːstə) /

noun

the man in authority, such as the head of a household, the employer of servants, or the owner of slaves or animalsRelated adjective: magistral

a person with exceptional skill at a certain thinga master of the violin
(as modifier)a master thief

(often capital) a great artist, esp an anonymous but influential artist

a person who has complete control of a situation
an abstract thing regarded as having power or influencethey regarded fate as the master of their lives

a workman or craftsman fully qualified to practise his trade and to train others in it
(as modifier)master carpenter

an original copy, stencil, tape, etc, from which duplicates are made
(as modifier)master copy

a player of a game, esp chess or bridge, who has won a specified number of tournament games

the principal of some colleges

a highly regarded teacher or leader whose religion or philosophy is accepted by followers

a graduate holding a master's degree

the chief executive officer aboard a merchant ship

a person presiding over a function, organization, or institution

mainly British a male teacher

an officer of the Supreme Court of Judicature subordinate to a judge

the superior person or side in a contest

a machine or device that operates to control a similar one

(often capital) the heir apparent of a Scottish viscount or baron

(modifier) overall or controllingmaster plan

(modifier) designating a device or mechanism that controls othersmaster switch

(modifier) main; principalmaster bedroom

the master Southern African informal the man of the house

verb (tr)

to become thoroughly proficient into master the art of driving

to overcome; defeatto master your emotions

to rule or control as master

Derived forms of master

masterdom, nounmasterhood, nounmasterless, adjectivemastership, noun

Word Origin for master

Old English magister teacher, from Latin; related to Latin magis more, to a greater extent

British Dictionary definitions for master (2 of 2)

Master

/ (ˈmɑːstə) /

noun

a title of address placed before the first name or surname of a boy

a respectful term of address, esp as used by disciples when addressing or referring to a religious teacher

an archaic equivalent of Mr

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with master

master

see past master.

master

OTHER WORDS FOR master

Origin of master

OTHER WORDS FROM master

Words related to master

How to use master in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for master (1 of 2)

Derived forms of master

Word Origin for master

British Dictionary definitions for master (2 of 2)

Other Idioms and Phrases with master