schoolmistress

American  

[skool-mis-tris] / ˈskulˌmɪs trɪs /

noun

1. a woman who presides over or teaches in a school.

---

schoolmistress British  

/ ˈskuːlˌmɪstrɪs /

noun

1. a woman who teaches in or runs a school

---

Gender

See -ess.

Other Word Forms

• schoolmistressy adjective

Etymology

Origin of schoolmistress

First recorded in 1490–1500; school ¹ + mistress

Example Sentences

Thadden, the former schoolmistress, had vouched for a newcomer named Paul Reckzeh who attended the party.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 19, 2025

There’s the occasional sharp moment to remind us of the character’s inner fires, but mostly she plays it cool and oddly small-scale, like an overly qualified schoolmistress who happens to find herself ruling an empire.

From New York Times • Oct. 20, 2019

A ruffled oversize 19th-century schoolmistress shirt in check with gray skirt was - daringly - twinned with pink and black tiger print stripper boots and space-age eye makeup.

From Washington Times • Mar. 9, 2016

This is provided by Mary Steenburgen’s schoolmistress, a fellow admirer of Jules Verne who likes the old boy’s piercing eyes but thinks he’s telling fibs.

From The Guardian • Oct. 21, 2015

Alone, the schoolmistress and Shirley looked at each other.

From "In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson" by Bette Bao Lord