Where does “mistress” come from?
Mistress comes from Old French maistresse, feminine of Old French maistre, from Latin magister meaning "master" or "chief," derived from the Proto-Indo-European root meǵh₂- meaning "great" or "mighty."
mistress (English): A woman, specifically one with great control,...
Definitions
- A woman, specifically one with great control,...
Ancestry of “mistress”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | maistresse | — |
| 2 | Old French | maistre | master; Master; magister |
| 3 | Latin | magister | teacher; master; a title of the Middle Ages,... |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | magisteros | bigger, greater |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | méǵh₂isteros | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | méǵh₂s | big, great |