Mrs.

noun

a form of address for a married woman

• Syn: ↑Mrs

• Hypernyms: ↑title, ↑title of respect, ↑form of address

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/mis"iz, miz"iz/, pl. Mmes. /may dahm", -dam"/.

1. a title of respect prefixed to the name of a married woman: Mrs. Jones.

2. a title prefixed to a mock surname that is used to represent possession of a particular attribute, identity, etc., esp. in an idealized or excessive way: Mrs. Punctuality.

[abbr. of MISTRESS]

Usage. See Ms.

Pronunciation. MRS., first recorded in the early 17th century, was originally, like Miss, an abbreviation of mistress. MRS. and mistress were at first used interchangeably in all contexts, but by the second half of that century, the written form of the abbreviation was largely confined to use as a title preceding a woman's surname.

By the early 19th century, reduction of the medial consonant cluster had contracted the usual pronunciation of the title from /mis"tris/ to /mis"is/ or /mis"iz/. The contracted pronunciation used other than as a title was not considered standard, and today, locutions like Let me discuss it with the missis are perceived as old-fashioned.

Currently, two main types of pronunciation for the abbreviation occur in the United States; /mis"iz/ and sometimes /mis"is/ are the common forms in the North and North Midland, while in the South Midland and South, the prevalent types are /miz"iz/ and /miz/, the latter homophonous with the usual pronunciation of the abbreviation Ms.

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Mrs. or Mrs «MIHS ihz, MIHZ-; mihz», plural Mmes.

mistress, a title put in front of a married woman's name: »

Mrs. Jackson.

╂[abbreviation of mistress]

Usage Mrs. is written out only in representing informal usage and is then spelled missis (or missus). »

Mrs. Dorothy M. Adams, Mrs. Smith. “Where's the missis?”

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['misəz; 'miz-; -əs]

n. a title used before a surname or full name to address or refer to a married woman, or a woman who has been married, without a higher or honorific or professional title

Mrs. Sally Jones

Origin:

early 17th cent.: abbreviation of ; compare with missus

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(US) (or Brit Mrs) /ˈmısəz/ noun

1 a

— used as a title for a married woman

Mrs. Smith

Mrs. Jane Smith

Mrs. Robert Smith [=the wife of Robert Smith]

compare ↑miss,

MS.

1 b

— used as a title when speaking to a married woman who holds an honored position or office

“It's an honor to meet you, Mrs. [=(more commonly) Madam] President/Chairman.”

2 a

— used as part of a title for a married woman who has won a contest

Mrs. America

2 b

— used to refer to a married woman who is very successful and famous for a particular activity (such as a sport) or who has a particular quality

She has come to be known as Mrs. Golf.

He thinks his wife is Mrs. Wonderful. [=he thinks his wife is wonderful]

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Mrs [Mrs Mesdames] (BrE) (also Mrs. NAmE, BrE) [ˈmɪsɪz] [ˈmɪsɪz] abbreviation

a title that comes before a married woman's family name or before her first and family names together

•

Mrs Hill

•

Mrs Susan Hill

•

Mr and Mrs Hill

compare Miss, ↑Ms

 

Word Origin:

early 17th cent.: abbreviation of ↑mistress; compare with ↑missus.