TIMES OF OUR LIVES: IN A MONOMYTHPreview
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MISTRESS AS A NOUN

Etymology

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

NOUN

mistress (plural mistresses)

  1. A woman, specifically one with great control, authority or ownership synonyms ▲quotations ▼Synonyms: (applicable to either sex) boss, (applicable to either sex) head, (applicable to either sex) leadermale equivalent: master

She was the mistress of the estate-mansion, and owned the horses.

  1. A female teacher synonym ▲Synonym: schoolmarmmale equivalent: master

games mistress

  1. The other woman in an extramarital relationship, generally including sexual relations synonyms, antonyms ▲Synonyms: (applicable to either sex) bit on the side, fancy woman, comaré, goomah; see also Thesaurus:mistressAntonyms: cicisbeo, fancy man
  2. A dominatrix quotations ▼male equivalent: master
  3. A woman well skilled in anything, or having the mastery over it quotations ▼
  4. a woman regarded with love and devotion; a sweetheart quotations ▼
  5. (Scotland) A married woman; a wife quotations ▼
  6. (obsolete) The jack in the game of bowls quotations ▼
  7. A female companion to a master (a man with control, authority or ownership)
  8. female equivalent of master
  9. female equivalent of mister
Usage notes

In the extramarital sense, mistress is often narrowly taken to mean a woman involved in a committed extramarital relationship (an affair), often supported financially (a kept woman). It can also be taken to mean broadly a woman involved in an extramarital relationship regardless of the level of commitment, but requires more than a single act of adultery.[1]

Derived terms