mister

[mis-ter]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR mister ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

(initial capital letter) a conventional title of respect for a man, prefixed to the name and to certain official designations (usually written as the abbreviation Mr.).

Informal. sir (used in direct address and not followed by the name of the man addressed): Mister, is this your umbrella?

(initial capital letter) a title prefixed to a mock surname that is used to represent possession of a particular attribute, identity, etc.: Mister Know-it-all.

the informal or social title used in addressing a military warrant officer or any naval officer below the rank of commander.

(especially in military schools and colleges)

a term of respect used by cadets in addressing upperclassmen: used with surname.
a term of disparagement used by upperclassmen in addressing cadets: Mister, tuck in that shirttail!

Older Use. husband: You and the mister staying long?

verb (used with object)

to address or speak of as “mister” or “Mr.”

Origin of mister

First recorded in 1545–55; variant of master

mister

[mis-ter]

noun

a spray, nozzle, or similar device for misting plants.

Origin of mister

mist + -er¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for mister

sir, man, Esquire, monsieur, signor

Examples from the Web for mister

Contemporary Examples of mister

Mister Ham in need of cash: That is something a lot of people will not believe.
The Stacks: Sell the Overcoat, Keep the Dignity
Paul Hemphill
December 22, 2014
And this week it was Mister Ham, General Delivery, United States.
The Stacks: Sell the Overcoat, Keep the Dignity
Paul Hemphill
December 22, 2014
“Maybe you need a good overcoat for Christmas,” Mister Ham was saying.
The Stacks: Sell the Overcoat, Keep the Dignity
Paul Hemphill
December 22, 2014
Nobody bothered to tell Mister Ham about it until the following August.
The Stacks: Sell the Overcoat, Keep the Dignity
Paul Hemphill
December 22, 2014
And it was sad, very sad, to be with Mister Ham Wednesday afternoon.
The Stacks: Sell the Overcoat, Keep the Dignity
Paul Hemphill
December 22, 2014

Historical Examples of mister

"Let's git out, mister," cried Old Bill, clutching Mortimer's arm.
Thoroughbreds
W. A. Fraser
There is no need for Miss or Mister in the savage jungle, Virginia.
The Monster Men
Edgar Rice Burroughs
So I sed to him, "Mister, did you lose anythin' 'round here any place?"
Uncles Josh's Punkin Centre Stories
Cal Stewart
I don't believe you, Mister Duncan—or whatever your name is.
The Fortune Hunter
Louis Joseph Vance
Mister Tom he locked him up last night in one of the south bedrooms.
The Inn at the Red Oak
Latta Griswold

British Dictionary definitions for mister

mister

noun

an informal form of address for a man

navy

the official form of address for subordinate or senior warrant officers
the official form of address for all officers in a merchant ship, other than the captain
US navythe official form of address used by the commanding officer to his officers, esp to the more junior

British the form of address for a surgeon

the form of address for officials holding certain positionsmister chairman

verb

(tr) informal to call (someone) mister

Word Origin for mister

C16: variant of master

Mister

noun

the full form 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

Word Origin and History for mister

as a title of courtesy before a man's Christian name, mid-15c., unaccented variant of master. As a form of address, without a name and with a tinge of rudeness, from 1760.