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mas·ter

(măstər)

1. One that has control over another person, a group of persons, or a thing, especially:

a. The owner or keeper of an animal: The dog ran toward its master.

b. The owner of a slave.

c. One who has control over or ownership of something: the master of a large tea plantation.

d. An employer.

e. The man who serves as the head of a household.

f. One who defeats another; a victor: I had to admit that I had met my master and so conceded the game.

g. One who acts out the role of the dominating partner in a sadomasochistic relationship.

2. The captain of a merchant ship. Also called master mariner.

a. One whose teachings or doctrines are accepted by followers.

b. Master Christianity Jesus.

4. A male teacher, schoolmaster, or tutor.

5. One who holds a master's degree.

a. An artist or performer of great and exemplary skill.

b. An old master.

7. A worker qualified to teach apprentices and carry on the craft independently.

8. An expert: a master of three languages.

9. Abbr. M.

a. Used formerly as a title for a man holding a naval office ranking next below a lieutenant on a warship.

b. Used as a title for a man who serves as the head or presiding officer of certain societies, clubs, orders, or institutions.

c. Master Used as a title for any of various male officers having specified duties concerning the management of the British royal household.

d. Master Used as a courtesy title before the given or full name of a boy not considered old enough to be addressed as Mister.

e. Archaic Used as a form of address for a man; mister.

10. One who is appointed to assist a court in the performance of certain legal functions, such as the taking of testimony and calculating damages in complex litigation. Also called special master.

11. Master A man who owns a pack of hounds or is the chief officer of a hunt.

12. An original, such as an original document or audio recording, from which copies can be made.

adj.

1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of a master.

2. Principal or predominant: a master plot.

3. Controlling all other parts of a mechanism: a master switch.

4. Highly skilled or proficient: a master thief.

5. Being an original from which copies are made.

tr.v. mas·tered, mas·ter·ing, mas·ters

1. To become very skilled in or knowledgeable about: mastered the language in a year's study.

2. To overcome or defeat: He finally mastered his addiction to drugs.

3. To produce a master copy of (an audio or video recording, for example).

[Middle English maister, master, from Old English māgister, mægister and Old French maistre, both from Latin magister; see meg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

master·dom n.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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