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Synonyms

mastery

American  
[mas-tuh-ree, mah-stuh-] / ˈmæs tə ri, ˈmɑ stə- /

noun

plural

masteries

  1. command or grasp, as of a subject.

    a mastery of Italian.

  2. superiority or victory.

    mastery over one's enemies.

  3. the act of mastering.

  4. expert skill or knowledge.

  5. the state of being master; power of command or control.

mastery British  
/ ˈmɑːstərɪ /

noun

  1. full command or understanding of a subject

  2. outstanding skill; expertise

  3. the power of command; control

  4. victory or superiority

"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 Word Forms

  • nonmastery noun
  • premastery noun
  • remastery noun

Etymology

Origin of mastery

1175–1225; master + -y 3; replacing Middle English maistrie < Old French

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.

The Sweet Southern Stammer was David Lewis, a genial Republican House member from rural North Carolina with a speech impediment and an uncommon mastery of election law.

From Salon

The rule posits a person needs some 10,000 hours of practice to achieve mastery.

From The Wall Street Journal

On the other hand, if the purpose of a test is to indicate whether a certain level of mastery has been achieved—as in a bar exam—grading should be pass/fail.

From The Wall Street Journal

Left-handed or right-handed as the fight demanded, his technical mastery was a constant throughout his career.

From Los Angeles Times

At Yale and Harvard, an A generally reflects mastery of demanding material.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions 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.