ms

1. 1
   woman's titlenoun · Ms

   A title used before an adult woman's name that does not show if she is married.

   Please give this note to Ms. Lopez in the front office.

   Our new teacher asked us to call her Ms. Chen.

   UsageSay it like miz. Put it before a family name, like Ms. Chen.

   Note
2. 2
   millisecondsymbol

   Symbol for millisecond, a unit of time equal to one thousandth of a second.

   The light flashes for 100 ms each time.

   My game lag dropped to 20 ms after I moved closer to the router.

   UsageWrite a number, a space, then ms: 100 ms. Do not add an s.

3. 3
   Sayem-ES/ˌɛm ˈɛs/

   nerve diseasenoun · MSuncountableinitialism

   Initialism of multiple sclerosis. People say these two letters as a short name for the illness.

   My aunt found out she had MS when she was thirty.

   MS can make it hard to walk and to see clearly.

   UsageSay have MS or live with MS, with no a or the.

4. 4
   Sayem-ES/ˌɛm ˈɛs/

   science degreenoun · MScountableinitialism

   Initialism of Master of Science. It names a science degree that comes after a first college degree.

   My brother is studying for an MS in biology.

   She got her MS last year and now works in a lab.

   UsageSay an MS, because em starts with a vowel sound. Use in for the subject: an MS in biology.

   Note
5. 5
   Microsoftproper noun · MSinitialism

   Initialism of Microsoft, a large American technology company.

   She typed the letter in MS Word and printed two copies.

   Our school computers came with MS Paint, and the kids loved drawing in it.

   UsageUsually before the name of a program, like MS Word.

6. 6
   Mississippiproper noun · MSabbreviation

   Abbreviation of Mississippi, a state of the United States. You often see it in addresses.

   Our cousins live in Tupelo, MS, near the big park.

   Please send the box to my grandma in Biloxi, MS.

   UsageUse MS in addresses, after the city. In sentences, write Mississippi.

7. 7
   Sayem-ES/ˌɛm ˈɛs/

   manuscriptnounabbreviation

   Abbreviation of manuscript. It is a short way of writing the word.

   The writer sent her ms to three publishers.

   The old ms was written by hand on thick paper.

   UsageFor more than one, write mss.

   Note
8. 8
   lab analysisnoun · MSuncountable

   Short for mass spectrometry, a lab method that identifies substances by measuring the mass-to-charge ratios of charged particles.

   The lab used MS to find out which drug was in the sample.

   MS showed that the old paint had lead in it.

   UsageWritten in capitals, as in LC-MS. Small ms means milliseconds.

9. 9
   Sayem-ES/ˌɛm ˈɛs/

   motor shipnoun · MScountable

   A short way of writing motor ship. It can also be written M/S.

   Our cruise ship, the MS Sea Breeze, left port at noon.

   Grandpa worked as a cook on the MS Northern Light for ten years.

   UsagePut it before a ship's name, like the MS Sea Breeze.

   Note

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