mistress

MIS-tris/ˈmɪstɹɪs/

11 meanings of mistress

1
other womannouncountable
A woman who has a love affair with a man who is married to someone else.
Her husband had a mistress, and she found out from a text message.
In the movie, the rich man buys his mistress an apartment in the city.
UsageSay a man has a mistress or keeps a mistress.
Similarlover, paramour
Note
2
nouncountable
A woman who is in charge of a home, people, or animals, or who owns them.
The horse followed its mistress around the field.
The dog ran straight back to its mistress when she whistled.
UsageSay mistress of the house or the dog's mistress, so the meaning is clear.
3
sexual role-playnouncountable
A woman who is the one in control during sexual role-play.
In BDSM play, the mistress is the one who gives the orders.
In their game, he had to obey every command from his mistress.
Similardominatrix

Less common meanings

4
belovednounarchaiccountable
A woman whom someone loves and is devoted to, like a sweetheart.
In the old song, a young man sings to his mistress under her window.
he could not forbear putting his horse out of the way , and rode with his mistress behind him round about it
Can we date this quote?, Edward [Hyde, 1st] Earl of Clarendon, in The History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in EnglandHere, mistress means the woman he loves, his sweetheart.
Similarsweetheart, beloved, lady
Note
5
teachernoundatedUKcountable
A woman who works as a teacher.
Our art mistress showed us how to paint with watercolors.
The girls stood up when the mistress walked into the classroom.
UsageUsually with a subject: art mistress, music mistress.
Similarteacher
6
polite addressnounarchaic
An old, polite word used when speaking to a woman.
"Thank you, mistress," the boy said as she paid him for the apples.
"Yes, mistress, I will bring the water now," said the young servant.
Note
7
great talentnouncountable
A woman who is very good at something or has full control of it.
My grandmother is a mistress of the kitchen, and her bread is the best in town.
She became a mistress of the violin after years of practice.
UsageSay a mistress of something: a mistress of the violin.
Similarmaster, expert, virtuoso
Oppositenovice
Note
8
verbraretransitive
Of a woman, to learn something until she is very good at it.
These films give a glimpse of women on the way to mistressing their own destiny.
2013, Andrea Khalil, North African Cinema in a Global Context: Through the Lens of DiasporaHere, mistressing means women learning to control something with great skill.
Similarmaster, learn
Note
9
verbintransitive
To act as a mistress or take on her job, such as running a big house.
Note
10
wifenoundialectalScotlandcountable
A woman who is married, or a wife.
Similarwife
Note
11
bowlsnounobsolete
In the game of bowls, the small ball that players try to roll their balls close to.
Faith, keep a bachelor still, and go to bowls, sir, Follow your mistress there, and prick and save, sir; For other mistresses will make you a slave, sir
c. 1613, Thomas Middleton, William RowleyHere, mistress means the small ball in bowls that players aim at.
She took a bowl, drew up her skirt with her left hand, and rolled the weighted ball with a deft motion. It lightly kissed the mistress and stopped a few inches away.
2001, Paul Hemenway Altrocchi, Most Greatly Lived
Note

Practice

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Origin

From an Old French word that was the female form of “master.”

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 1 fact

Mistress derives from an Old French word that was the feminine of the word for master. en.wiktionary.org