| mistress (ˈmɪstrɪs) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | a woman who has a continuing extramarital sexual relationship with a man |
| 2. | a woman in a position of authority, ownership, or control, such as the head of a household |
| 3. | a woman or female personification having control over something specified: she was mistress of her own destiny |
| 4. | chiefly (Brit) short for schoolmistress |
| 5. | an archaic or dialect word for sweetheart |
| [C14: from Old French; see | |
| Mistress (ˈmɪstrɪs) | |
| —n | |
| an archaic or dialect title equivalent to Mrs | |