# mistress

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈmɪs.tɹᵻs/ · frequency rank #8,826

## Definitions
1. A woman, specifically one with great control, authority or ownership.
2. A female head of household.
3. A female teacher.
4. The other woman in an extramarital relationship, generally including sexual relations.
5. A dominatrix.
6. A woman well skilled in anything, or having the mastery over it.
7. A woman regarded with love and devotion; a sweetheart.
8. A married woman; a wife.
9. A respectful mode of address to a woman.
10. The jack in the game of bowls.
11. A female companion to a master (a man with control, authority or ownership).
12. Female equivalent of master.
13. Female equivalent of mister.

## Etymology
From Middle English maistresse, from Old French maistresse (whence French maîtresse), feminine of maistre (“master”). By surface analysis, mist(e)r + -ess.

## Easily confused with
- **mistrust** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mistress-vs-mistrust)
- **mistresses** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mistress-vs-mistresses)
- **mattress** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mattress-vs-mistress)

## Common misspellings (11)
`imstress`, `misrtess`, `misstress`, `misterss`, `mistres`, `mistrress`, `mistrses`, `misttress`, `mitsress`, `mmistress`, `msitress`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/mistress