Which to use
“maîtresse” is a noun and “maîtresses” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #5,367
- “maîtresse” frequency rank
- #21,391
- “maîtresses” frequency rank
- 26758
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | maîtresse | maîtresses |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Celle qui a un pouvoir de domination sur les êtres ou les choses. | Féminin pluriel de maître. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set maîtresse and maîtresses apart are highlighted. They share 9 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
Say them out loud and nothing separates them: maîtresse and maîtresses carry the same recorded pronunciation, \mɛ.tʁɛs\. Grammar is what tells them apart: one is anoun, the other anadjective, so most sentences will only accept one of them. They differ by 1 extra letter(s) - “maîtresse” sits inside “maîtresses”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 26758, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
maîtresse is recorded at frequency rank #5,367, classified as anoun, pronounced \mɛ.tʁɛs\. maîtresses is at rank #21,391, tagged as anadj, pronounced \mɛ.tʁɛs\.
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 26758, this pair ranks #333,026 of 440,172 scored French confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of maîtresse vs maîtresses
Shared letters: aemrstî. Private to "maîtresse": -. Private to "maîtresses": -.
"maîtresse" · 9 letters · shape CVVCCVCCV · "maîtresses" · 10 letters · shape CVVCCVCCVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "maîtresse" and "maîtresses" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "maîtresse" or "maîtresses"?
Remembering maîtresse vs maîtresses
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a noun, it's “maîtresse”; for an adjective, it's “maîtresses”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “maîtresse” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable