Author Topic: How do you spell Mrs.? (Read 2540 times)

Annie Subjunctive · « **on:** September 30, 2004, 05:49:18 PM »

If I were to write out the word for which Mrs. is an abbreviation, what would it look like?

Papa Moose · « **Reply #1 on:** September 30, 2004, 05:50:42 PM »

I've usually seen it as "missus."

Annie Subjunctive · « **Reply #2 on:** September 30, 2004, 05:51:15 PM »

Is that where it really came from? My roommate thinks it's an adaptation of Mr.

saxon75 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 30, 2004, 06:13:33 PM »

I think it's actually a corruption of "Mistress."

Annie Subjunctive · « **Reply #4 on:** September 30, 2004, 06:36:58 PM »

Oooh. That makes sense.

Jonathon · « **Reply #5 on:** September 30, 2004, 08:18:57 PM »

Merriam-Webster has the main entry as missus with missis as a variant spelling.

pooka · « **Reply #6 on:** September 30, 2004, 08:28:19 PM »

Mister is actually short for Magister, I believe. Strange that we don't use Master for unmarried men, unless you are Batman.

Jonathon · « **Reply #7 on:** September 30, 2004, 08:41:46 PM »

Mister is from master, which is from the Anglo-French maistre, which is from the Latin magister.

Sheila · « **Reply #8 on:** October 01, 2004, 08:33:15 AM »

I think Bob the Lawyer is the only single male I refer to as Master.