master
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈmɑːs.tə/
ipa: /ˈmas.tə/
note: influenced by RP
ipa: /ˈmɑːs.tə/
ipa: /ˈmas.təɹ/
enpr: măsʹtər
ipa: /ˈmæs.tɚ/
note: Southern US, African-American Vernacular, obsolete
ipa: /ˈmɑs.tə/
ipa: /ˈmaːs.tə/
rhymes: -ɑːstə(ɹ)
rhymes: -æstə(ɹ)
Forms: form: masters
form: maistre
form: Marse
form: marse
form: mas'r
form: Master
form: mastre
form: maister
form: mayster
form: Massa
form: massa
form: massah
form: massy
form: masta
form: Mastah
form: mastah
form: mastuh
form: measter
form: mester
form: mister
Etymology: From Middle English maister, mayster, meister (noun) and maistren (verb), from Old English mǣster, mæġster, mæġester, mæġister, magister (“master”), from Latin magister (“chief, teacher, leader”), from Old Latin magester, from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s (as in magnus (“great”), also cognate of English much and mickle) + -ester/-ister (compare minister (“servant”)). Reinforced by Old French maistre, mestre (noun) and maistriier, maister (verb) from the same Latin source. Compare also Saterland Frisian Mäster (“master”), West Frisian master (“master”), Dutch meester (“master”), German Meister (“master”). Doublet of maestro, magister, and meister.
Senses: examples: text: We are masters of the sea.
ref: 1881, Benjamin Jowett, Thucydides:
text: Maſters commands come with a power reſiſtleſs / To ſuch as owe them abſolute ſubjection; / And for a life who will not change his purpoſe? / (So mutable are all the ways of men) / Yet this be ſure, in nothing to comply / Scandalous or forbidden in our Law.
ref: 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 83, lines 415–420:
text: When I have thus made myself master of a hundred thousand drachmas […].
ref: 1712 November 24 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “THURSDAY, November 13, 1712”, in The Spectator, number 535; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume VI, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC, page 97:
text: The Celebrity, by arts unknown, induced Mrs. Judge Short and two other ladies to call at Mohair on a certain afternoon when Mr. Cooke was trying a trotter on the track.[…]Their example was followed by others at a time when the master of Mohair was superintending in person the docking of some two-year-olds, and equally invisible.
ref: 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, pages 58–59:
glosses: Someone who has control over something or someone.
glosses: The owner of an animal or slave.
topics: nautical
transport
synonyms: skipper
captain
glosses: The captain of a merchant ship; a master mariner.
glosses: A male head of household.
examples: text: No matter how early I came down, I would find him on the veranda, smoking cigarettes, or otherwise his man would be there with a message to say that his master would shortly join me if I would kindly wait.
ref: 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, page 46:
glosses: Someone who employs others.
examples: text: Mark Twain was a master of fiction.
text: But that which chiefly distinguishes Addison from Swift, from Voltaire, from almost all the other great masters of ridicule, is the grace, the nobleness, the moral purity, which we find even in his merriment.
ref: 1843 July, [Thomas Babington Macaulay], “Art. VII—The Life of Joseph Addison. By Lucy Aikin.”, in The Edinburgh Review, number CLVII, page 231:
text: No care is taken to improve young men in their own language, that they may thoroughly understand and be masters of it.
ref: 1693, [John Locke], “§189”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], →OCLC:
text: Darth Vader: I've been waiting for you, Obi-Wan. We meet again, at last. The circle is now complete. When I left you I was but the learner; now I am the master.
Obi-Wan Kenobi: Only a master of evil, Darth.
ref: 1977, George Lucas, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope:
text: A turning point came earlier this year. In January 2000, the local Qigong master who treated me asked me to find Falun Gong material on the Internet for him.
ref: 2001, “People with Cancer”, in Falun Gong Stories: A Journey to Ultimate Health, Golden Lotus Press, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 62:
synonyms: word: adept
word: ace
word: artist
word: buff
word: crackerjack
word: crack hand
word: dab
word: dab hand
word: dabster
word: don hand
word: expert
word: Jedi Master
word: master
word: maven
word: old hand
word: old soldier
word: old stager
word: past master
word: proficient
word: top gun
word: whiz
word: wiz
word: wizard
word: veteran
glosses: An expert at something.
glosses: A tradesman who is qualified to teach apprentices.
glosses: A male schoolteacher.
glosses: A skilled artist.
examples: text: Where there are little Maſters and Miſſes in a Houſe, they are uſually great Impediments to the Diverſions of the Servants;
ref: 1731 (date written; published 1745), [Jonathan] Swift, Directions to Servants […], London: […] R[obert] Dodsley, […], and M. Cooper, […], →OCLC:
glosses: A man or a boy; mister. See Master.
examples: text: She has a master in psychology.
synonyms: word: masters
word: master's
word: magistrate
glosses: A master's degree; a type of postgraduate degree, usually undertaken after a bachelor degree.
examples: text: He is a master of marine biology.
glosses: A person holding such a degree.
examples: text: The band couldn't find the master, so they re-recorded their tracks.
glosses: The original of a document or of a recording.
topics: broadcasting
film
media
television
synonyms: establishing shot
long shot
glosses: The primary wide shot of a scene, into which the closeups will be edited later.
examples: text: The case was tried by a master, who concluded that the plaintiffs were the equitable owners of the property.[…]
topics: law
glosses: A parajudicial officer (such as a referee, an auditor, an examiner, or an assessor) specially appointed to help a court with its proceedings.
examples: text: a master wheel
text: a master database
topics: computing
engineering
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
sciences
synonyms: coordinator
primary
antonyms: secondary
slave
worker
glosses: A device that is controlling other devices or is an authoritative source.
topics: Freemasonry
freemasonry
lifestyle
glosses: A person holding an office of authority, especially the presiding officer.
glosses: A person holding a similar office in other civic societies.
examples: text: The use of masters and submasters will enable suites of rooms to be controlled by one key.
ref: 2020, Jane M. Wiggins, Facilities Manager's Desk Reference, page 517:
glosses: Ellipsis of master key.
topics: BDSM
lifestyle
sexuality
coordinate_terms: mistress
glosses: A male dominant.
Hyponyms: english: feminine-specific form
translation: feminine-specific form
word: mistress
Derived terms: archmaster
baggagemaster
balletmaster
ballet master
bandmaster
barge master
bargemaster
barmaster
battlemaster
beachmaster
beastmaster
Beefmaster
beemaster
bergmaster
blogmaster
boarding-master
boatmaster
bodymaster
boroughmaster
botmaster
bowmaster
brewmaster
bridgemaster
burghermaster
burghomaster
burgomaster
bushmaster
caddiemaster
caddymaster
campmaster
cashmaster
cellarmaster
chapelmaster
charge description master
chargemaster
charge-master
charge master
chartermaster
charter master
cheermaster
chess master
chessmaster
chimesmaster
choirmaster
chorusmaster
clubmaster
coachmaster
coalmaster
cockmaster
Comacine master
concertmaster
craftmaster
craftsmaster
cube master
Cubmaster
dancing master's kit
ditto master
divemaster
dockmaster
dogs have masters, cats have staff
dragonmaster
drawmaster
drill master
drillmaster
dungeon master
fagmaster
fire is a good servant but a bad master
firemaster
flockmaster
foragemaster
forgemaster
fuckmaster
funkmaster
game master
games master
games-master
gangmaster
garret-master
gold master
golden master
Grand Master
grandmaster
grand master
grillmaster
guildmaster
harbor master
harbour master
harbor-master
harbormaster
headmaster
herbmaster
honorary master
horsemaster
hostmaster
house master
housemaster
huntmaster
hutmaster
ironmaster
jack of all trades, master of none
job master
jumpmaster
keymaster
loadmaster
lockmaster
lord and master
loremaster
master-at-arms
masterate
master baiter
masterbatch
master bathroom
master bedroom
masterbit
master boot record
masterbrand
master bricklayer
master builder
master butter knife
Mastercard
master card
master cast
master caution
master class
master clock
master copy
mastercraftsman
master craftsman
master-craftsman
master cylinder
masterdom
masterer
masterfast
master file
masterful
master gland
mastergroup
masterhood
masterji
master key
masterless
masterlike
masterling
masterly
masterman
master mariner
master mason
mastermind
master of all one surveys
Master of Arts
master of ceremonies
master of ceremony
master of game
master of one's time
Master of Science
master of the horse
master of the mint
Master of the Mint
master of the obvious
master of the schools
master of the woods
masterous
masterpiece
master plan
master-plan
masterplan
masterpoint
masterpost
master race
Masters
master sergeant
mastership
master signifier
master-signifier
mastersinger
master-slave manipulator
mastersmith
master status
master's thesis
masterstroke
mastertone
master tradesman
master trust
master warning
masterweaver
masterwork
masterwort
mastery
metal master
mint-master
mintmaster
mixmaster
multimaster
nonmaster
no one is born a master
old master
one's own master
outmaster
partymaster
past master
passed master
pathmaster
paymaster
piermaster
pitmaster
Playmaster
pledgemaster
portmaster
postmaster
posture-master
poundmaster
premaster
pressmaster
property master
prop master
props master
propmaster
puppet master
puppet-master
puppetmaster
quarrymaster
quartermaster
quaymaster
question-master
quizmaster
quotemaster
rackmaster
rangemaster
rattlesnake master
ravenmaster
reckonmaster
ringmaster
roadmaster
roaming master
roastmaster
runemaster
sailing-master
salesmaster
saymaster
schoolmaster
Scoutmaster
scoutmaster
serve two masters
shedmaster
sheepmaster
shipmaster
shipping master
signalmaster
slammaster
slavemaster
sockmaster
special master
spellmaster
spinmaster
spirit master
spookmaster
spymaster
stablemaster
stationmaster
strokemaster
studmaster
submaster
swordmaster
swordsmaster
taskmaster
taxing master
thigh master
toastmaster
towmaster
trackmaster
trainmaster
troncmaster
truckmaster
undermaster
use the master's tools to dismantle the master's house
vendue master
wagonmaster
wardmaster
warmaster
watermaster
waymaster
weaponmaster
webmaster
weighmaster
wharfmaster
whipmaster
whoremaster
winemaster
woodmaster
wordmaster
workmaster
wreck master
wreck-master
wreckmaster
writing master
yardmaster
zombie master
Related terms: english: master
translation: master
word: mistress
word: journeyman
word: apprentice