Say it out loud: PauseMister, generally written in its shortened form, Mr. (US) or Mr. (UK), is a traditional English honorific for persons who held the title of knighthood in the past. The title "Mr." was derived from older versions of master, just as the analogous feminine titles "Mr," "Miss," and "Ms." were all derived from earlier forms of mistress. Today, "Mr." is used as a prefix to indicate that someone is entitled to the lowest rank of a profession or occupation-for example, "majordomo" or "merchant captain." In modern day usage, "Mr." is also used as a form of address for people who are not entitled to a more formal title. For example, an assistant manager would be addressed as "Mr. Johnson" or simply "Mr." If no title is implied, the person being addressed can choose to accept or decline the honor. The use of "Mr." as a prefix has extended into other languages as well. In French, monsieur is the equivalent of sir or Mr. while madame is the appropriate term to use when addressing a female employee or partner. In Spanish, señor works as a polite form of address for anyone, male or female. In German, Herr is the standard form of address for any man, but Frau is required when referring to a woman. In Italian, signore is the appropriate term to use with either gender.