Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Mistress” come from?

Mistress (English) comes from Middle English maistresse, from Old French maistresse, from Old French maistre, from Latin magister, from Proto-Italic magisteros, from Proto-Indo-European méǵh₂isteros, from Proto-Indo-European méǵh₂s — big, great.

Mistress (English): Used as the title of a married woman before her...

Definitions

  1. Used as the title of a married woman before her...

Ancestry of “Mistress”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishmaistresse—
2Old Frenchmaistresse—
3Old Frenchmaistremaster; Master; magister
4Latinmagisterteacher; master; a title of the Middle Ages,...
5Proto-Italicmagisteros—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanméǵh₂isteros—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanméǵh₂sbig, great

Words derived from “Mistress”

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