Mrs.

[mis-iz, miz-iz]

abbreviation

plural

Mmes 

1. a title of respect prefixed to the surname or full name of a married woman.

   Mrs. Jones; Mrs. Susan Jones.

2. a title prefixed to a mock surname that is used to represent possession of a particular attribute, identity, etc., especially in an idealized or excessive way.

   Mrs. Punctuality.

Mrs

/ ˈmɪsɪz /

noun

1. a title used before the name or names of a married woman

Gender Note

See Ms.

Pronunciation Note

Mrs., first recorded in the early 17th century, was originally, like Miss, an abbreviation of mistress. Mrs. and mistress were at first used interchangeably in all contexts, but by the second half of that century, the written form of the abbreviation was largely confined to use as a title preceding a woman's surname. By the early 19th century, reduction of the medial consonant cluster had contracted the usual pronunciation of the title from to or . The contracted pronunciation used other than as a title was not considered standard, and today, locutions like Let me discuss it with the missis are perceived as old-fashioned. Currently, two main types of pronunciation for the abbreviation occur in the United States; and sometimes are the common forms in the North and North Midland, while in the South Midland and South, the prevalent types are and , the latter homophonous with the usual pronunciation of the abbreviation Ms.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Mrs¹

Abbreviation of mistress

Word History and Origins

Origin of Mrs¹

C17: originally an abbreviation of _mistress

Example Sentences

“Mrs. Carter put a perm in my hair in ‘79.

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“Don’t forget, she was Mrs. Los Angeles…I was sitting in the audience and just going, ‘Oh no, oh, no, that’s me.

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They were doused in a fragrance called Caramel Swirl, a mashup of notes that they liked because it remind them of Mrs. Butterworth’s syrup.

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But Shalhoub, best known these days as one of the stars of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” makes up for his lack of knowledge with utter enthusiasm.

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He gets the idea after seeing a billboard for “Mrs. Doubtfire” outside the Fox Studios lot and steals facial prosthetics from his father, who happens to be an Oscar-winning makeup artist.

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Related Words

• girl 
• mother