# master

Pronunciation: US say "MAS-tur" /ˈmæs.tɚ/; UK say "MAH-stuh" /ˈmɑːs.tə/

## Noun

1. A person who is highly skilled or expert in an activity or subject, especially a great artist.
   - Simple: A person who is extremely good at something, such as a great painter.
   - _Few cooks ever become true masters of French pastry._
   - _He is regarded as a master of suspense in modern cinema._
2. A postgraduate academic degree, usually pursued after completing a bachelor's degree.
   - Simple: A higher college degree earned after a first, lower degree.
   - _He enrolled in a master's program in computer science this fall._
   - _Many employers now expect a master's rather than just a bachelor's._
4. A person who has control or authority over another person, an animal, or a thing, such as an animal's owner or, historically, an owner of enslaved people.
   - Simple: A person who controls or owns someone or something, like a dog's owner or, in the past, a slave owner.
   - _He prided himself on being master of every situation he entered._
   - _Whoever holds the high ground is master of the battlefield._
7. A teacher of religion or the spiritual life whom disciples honor and follow as a guide, often used as a title.
   - Simple: A religious or spiritual teacher whom followers deeply respect and look to for guidance, often used as a title.
   - _She spent a year in the mountains studying meditation under a Buddhist master._
   - _Pilgrims came from distant villages to hear Master Ling's teachings on compassion._
8. A person holding an office of authority, especially the presiding officer of a Masonic lodge.
   - Simple: A person who holds the top office in a group, especially the leader of a Masonic lodge.
   - _The master called the lodge to order and read the evening's agenda._
   - _As master, he presided over every ceremony that season._
9. A tradesman who has reached full qualification and is entitled to train apprentices.
   - Simple: A fully trained worker who is allowed to teach learners in a trade.
   - _After years as a journeyman, he finally qualified as a master and opened his own shop._
   - _The guild required every workshop to be led by a master._
10. The original document or recording from which copies are produced.
   - Simple: The original version that copies are made from.
   - _Engineers transferred the old tape master to digital files._
   - _The label located the original master in its archive._
12. Formerly, the man at the head of a household, who employed and directed its servants or workers.
   - Simple: In the past, the man in charge of a home and the people who worked there.
   - _The household staff answered directly to their master._
   - _When the master of the house came home from his travels, the cook and the maids hurried to make everything ready._
16. A device that controls other connected devices, or that serves as the authoritative source they follow.
   - Simple: A device that controls other devices, or that the others copy their settings from.
   - _In this setup, the master coordinates the clocks of all the attached drives._
   - _Engineers reconfigured the master so the backup unit could take over its role._
13. An older athlete entered in a division reserved for competitors past a certain age, or that division itself.
   - Simple: An older athlete who competes against others above a certain age, or the group for those athletes.
   - _At forty-five he moved up to the masters and won his first national title._
   - _The track meet added a masters division for runners over forty._
17. The person in command of a merchant ship, holding a master mariner's qualification.
   - Simple: The captain in charge of a merchant ship.
   - _The master logged the storm damage before the ship reached port._
   - _As master, she answered to the shipowner for every ton of cargo._
18. A man who occupies the dominant role within a BDSM relationship or encounter.
   - Simple: A man who takes control in a kind of adult sexual play, where his partner agrees to obey him.
   - _The agreement spelled out what the master could and could not ask of her._
   - _In their scenes she called him her master, a role they had negotiated carefully, with a safe word she could use at any time._
19. Short for master key: a key that opens all the locks in a set, such as every room in a building. — Ellipsis of master key.
   - Simple: Short for master key: a key that opens every lock in a particular group.
   - _Hotel staff each keep a master that opens all the guest rooms._
   - _She lost the master and had to rekey the entire floor._
23. A person who holds a master's degree in a particular field.
   - Simple: A person who has earned a master's degree.
   - _Having become a Master of Public Health, he moved back home to run the county's vaccination program._
   - _Listed among this year's graduates were twelve Masters of Engineering and three Doctors of Philosophy._
24. A parajudicial officer appointed to assist a court with its proceedings, such as a referee, auditor, or examiner.
   - Simple: A court official appointed to help a judge with parts of a case.
   - _The judge referred the dispute over damages to a master for detailed accounting._
   - _The master took testimony from both sides before drafting a report._
25. The primary wide shot of a scene, filmed to cover the full action, into which closer shots are edited later.
   - Simple: A wide film shot of a whole scene, used as the base that closer shots are later added into.
   - _Always get a clean master before moving in for the close-ups._
   - _The editor cut between the master and the two-shot to keep the dialogue flowing._

## Verb

3. To learn or develop skill in something to a high degree of proficiency.
   - Simple: To learn how to do something very well.
   - _He mastered calculus before finishing high school._
   - _Students must master the basics before moving forward._
11. To produce the final original recording from which copies are made.
   - Simple: To make the original copy of a recording that other copies come from.
   - _The studio mastered the album in a single weekend._
   - _They master every recording before sending it to the pressing plant._
14. To bring under one's control or will; to conquer or subdue.
   - Simple: To take control of something or someone by force or strong effort.
   - _He worked for years to master his temper._
   - _It took every ounce of will he had to master the panic rising in his chest._
22. To complete and earn a master's degree.
   - Simple: To finish and earn a master's degree at a university.
26. To hold or exercise the position of a master; to be in command.
   - Simple: To act as the one in charge over others.

## Adjective

5. Being the principal or predominant one; main.
   - Simple: Being the main or most important one of a group.
   - _The master switch controls power to the entire building._
   - _Engineers consulted the master plan before construction began._
6. Very skilled, especially fully qualified in a trade or craft, or showing the skill of an expert.
   - Simple: Very skilled at a job or craft.
   - _A master mason cut every stone for the cathedral._
   - _He is a master craftsman whose furniture lasts for generations._
15. Being the original version from which reproductions are made.
   - Simple: Being the original version that copies are made from.
   - _The editor stored the master document on a separate drive._
   - _We never edit the master recording directly._

## Noun

20. A title of address for a man or boy, equivalent to mister, now used chiefly for boys too young for the adult form. *(dated)*
   - Simple: A polite word put before a boy's name, like 'mister' for a man.
   - _The invitation named Master Edward Ashby among the guests._
   - _The footman announced young Master William at the door._
21. A man employed to teach at a school. *(dated)*
   - Simple: A male teacher at a school.
   - _The new master took the senior boys for Latin each morning._
   - _Pupils feared the master who taught mathematics._

## Other meanings

- (verb) To have something as one's property.

## Origin

From Middle English "maister", from Old English forms like "magister", borrowed from Latin "magister" ("chief, teacher, leader"). This traces back to a Proto-Indo-European root also seen in Latin "magnus" ("great") and English "much". It was reinforced by Old French "maistre", from the same Latin source, and is related to Dutch "meester" and German "Meister".

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/master (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).