mistress

[ mis-tris ]
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noun
  1. a woman who, most often secretly, has an ongoing sexual relationship with, and sometimes is financially supported by, someone who is openly married to, engaged to, or living with another person: If Mr. G thinks his wife doesn’t know he has a mistress, he’s dead wrong—just ask Mrs. G’s private investigator!

  2. Sometimes Mistress . the dominant sexual partner, when female, in a BDSM relationship of unequal power.

  1. Mistress . a term of address in former use and corresponding to Mrs., Miss, or Ms.

  2. British. a female schoolteacher; schoolmistress.

  3. Sometimes Mistress . something regarded as feminine that has control or supremacy: Because each enjoyed an era of naval superiority, both Venice and Britain were once known as the Mistress of the Seas.

  4. Older Use. a woman who has authority, control, or power, especially the female head of a household, institution, or other establishment: I’m sorry, the mistress of the house is not presently available.

  5. Older Use. a woman employing, or in authority over, servants or attendants: The maid laid out two outfits every morning so that her mistress might choose the one that best suited her mood.

  6. (especially in historical use) a female owner of enslaved people, in the institution of chattel slavery; a female slaveholder: Her father’s last will and testament made her mistress of his slaves after his death in 1837.

  7. Older Use. a female owner of a pet or other animal: That horse can only be handled by his mistress and a few of the grooms.

  8. Older Use. a woman who has the power of controlling or disposing of something at her own pleasure: mistress of a great fortune.

  9. Obsolete. a woman who is skilled in something; a female master of an occupation or art: She and her sister are both mistresses of the harpsichord.

  10. Archaic. sweetheart.

Origin of mistress

1
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English maistresse, from Middle French, Old French, equivalent to maistre master + -esse -ess

usage note For mistress

See -ess.

Other words from mistress

  • mis·tressed, adjective
  • mis·tress-ship, noun

Words Nearby mistress

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use mistress in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for mistress (1 of 2)

mistress

/ (ˈmɪstrɪs) /


noun
  1. a woman who has a continuing extramarital sexual relationship with a man

  2. a woman in a position of authority, ownership, or control, such as the head of a household

  1. a woman or female personification having control over something specified: she was mistress of her own destiny

  2. mainly British short for schoolmistress

  3. an archaic or dialect word for sweetheart

Origin of mistress

1
C14: from Old French; see master, -ess

British Dictionary definitions for Mistress (2 of 2)

Mistress

/ (ˈmɪstrɪs) /


noun
  1. an archaic or dialect title equivalent to Mrs

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