Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Missus” come from?

Missus derives from English mistress, which comes from Old French maistresse, the feminine form of Old French maistre from Latin magister meaning "master," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European meǵh₂- meaning "great."

Missus (English): Wife or girlfriend; Term of address for a woman

Definitions

  1. Wife or girlfriend; Term of address for a woman

Ancestry of “Missus”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishMrsAbbreviation of Missus or Mistress
2EnglishMistressUsed as the title of a married woman before her...
3Middle Englishmaistresse—
4Old Frenchmaistresse—
5Old Frenchmaistremaster; Master; magister
6Latinmagisterteacher; master; a title of the Middle Ages,...
7Proto-Italicmagisteros—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanméǵh₂isteros—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanméǵh₂sbig, great

Words derived from “Missus”

  • मिसेज़
Every word from Proto-Indo-European méǵh₂s →