master

See also: Master, máster, màster, Mäster, and mäster

English

English Wikipedia has an article on:

master

Pronunciation

(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈmɑːs.tə/
(Northern England) IPA^(key): /ˈmas.tə/, (influenced by RP) /ˈmaːs.tə/
(Scotland, Ireland) IPA^(key): /ˈmas.təɹ/
(General American) enPR: măsʹtər, IPA^(key): /ˈmæs.tɚ/
(Southern US, African-American Vernacular, obsolete) IPA^(key): /ˈmɑs.tə/ (see marster)
(General Australian, New Zealand) IPA^(key): /ˈmaːs.tə/
Audio (US): (file)
Rhymes: -ɑːstə(ɹ), -æstə(ɹ)
Hyphenation: mas‧ter

Etymology 1

From Middle English maister, mayster, meister (noun) and maistren (verb), from Old English mǣster, mæġster, mæġester, mæġister, magister (“master”), from Latin magister (“chief, teacher, leader”), from Old Latin magester, from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s, (as in magnus (“great”)) + -ester/-ister (compare minister (“servant”)). Reinforced by Old French maistre, mestre (noun) and maistriier, maister (verb) from the same Latin source. Compare also Saterland Frisian Mäster (“master”), West Frisian master (“master”), Dutch meester (“master”), German Meister (“master”). Doublet of maestro, magister, and meister.

Alternative forms

maistre (archaic)
Marse, marse (obsolete, dialectal, US, Caribbean)
mas'r (dated, pronunciation spelling, representing southern US black English)
Master
mastre, maister, mayster (obsolete)
Massa, massa, massah, massy, masta, Mastah, mastah, mastuh (pronunciation spellings)
measter (obsolete, UK, pronunciation spelling)
mester, mister (dialectal)

Noun

master (plural masters)

Someone who has control over something or someone.
- 1881, Benjamin Jowett, Thucydides:
  We are masters of the sea.
- 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 83, lines 415–420:
  Maſters commands come with a power reſiſtleſs / To ſuch as owe them abſolute ſubjection; / And for a life who will not change his purpoſe? / (So mutable are all the ways of men) / Yet this be ſure, in nothing to comply / Scandalous or forbidden in our Law.
- 1712 November 24 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “THURSDAY, November 13, 1712”, in The Spectator, number 535; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume VI, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC, page 97:
  When I have thus made myself master of a hundred thousand drachmas […] .
  The spelling has been modernized.
- 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, pages 58–59:
  The Celebrity, by arts unknown, induced Mrs. Judge Short and two other ladies to call at Mohair on a certain afternoon when Mr. Cooke was trying a trotter on the track. […] Their example was followed by others at a time when the master of Mohair was superintending in person the docking of some two-year-olds, and equally invisible.
The owner of an animal or slave.
(nautical) The captain of a merchant ship; a master mariner.
Synonyms: skipper, captain
(dated) A male head of a household.
Someone who employs others.
- 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, page 46:
  No matter how early I came down, I would find him on the veranda, smoking cigarettes, or otherwise his man would be there with a message to say that his master would shortly join me if I would kindly wait.
An expert at something.
Synonyms: see Thesaurus:skilled person

Mark Twain was a master of fiction.
- 1843 July, [Thomas Babington Macaulay], “Art. VII—The Life of Joseph Addison. By Lucy Aikin.”, in The Edinburgh Review, number CLVII, page 231:
  But that which chiefly distinguishes Addison from Swift, from Voltaire, from almost all the other great masters of ridicule, is the grace, the nobleness, the moral purity, which we find even in his merriment.
- 1693, [John Locke], “§189”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], →OCLC:
  No care is taken to improve young men in their own language, that they may thoroughly understand and be masters of it.
- 1977, George Lucas, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope:
  Darth Vader: I've been waiting for you, Obi-Wan. We meet again, at last. The circle is now complete. When I left you I was but the learner; now I am the master.
  Obi-Wan Kenobi: Only a master of evil, Darth.
- 2001, “People with Cancer”, in Falun Gong Stories: A Journey to Ultimate Health‎^[1], Golden Lotus Press, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 62:
  A turning point came earlier this year. In January 2000, the local Qigong master who treated me asked me to find Falun Gong material on the Internet for him.
- For more quotations using this term, see Citations:master.
A tradesman who is qualified to teach apprentices.
(dated) A male schoolteacher.
A skilled artist.
(dated) A man or a boy; mister. See Master.
- 1731 (date written, published 1745), Jonathan Swift, “Directions to Servants”, in Thomas Sheridan, John Nichols, editors, The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, […], new edition, volume XVI, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], published 1801, →OCLC:
  Where there are little Maſters and Miſſes in a Houſe, they are uſually great Impediments to the Diverſions of the Servants;
A master's degree; a type of postgraduate degree, usually undertaken after a bachelor degree.
Synonyms: masters, master's, (Quebec) magistrate

She has a master in psychology.
A person holding such a degree.
He is a master of marine biology.
The original of a document or of a recording.
The band couldn't find the master, so they re-recorded their tracks.
(film) The primary wide shot of a scene, into which the closeups will be edited later.
Synonyms: establishing shot, long shot
(law) A parajudicial officer (such as a referee, an auditor, an examiner, or an assessor) specially appointed to help a court with its proceedings.
The case was tried by a master, who concluded that the plaintiffs were the equitable owners of the property. […]
(engineering, computing) A device that is controlling other devices or is an authoritative source.
Synonyms: coordinator, primary

Antonyms: secondary, slave, worker

a master wheel

a master database
(Freemasonry) A person holding an office of authority, especially the presiding officer.
(by extension) A person holding a similar office in other civic societies.
Short for master key.
- 2020, Jane M. Wiggins, Facilities Manager's Desk Reference, page 517:
  The use of masters and submasters will enable suites of rooms to be controlled by one key.
(BDSM) A male dominant.
Coordinate term: mistress

Hyponyms

mistress (feminine-specific form)

Derived terms

English terms starting with “master”

Related terms

mistress (feminine form of "master")

Descendants

Sranan Tongo: masra
→ Catalan: màster
→ Finnish: master
→ French: master
→ German: Master
→ Polish: master
→ Portuguese: máster
→ Spanish: máster
→ Turkish: master

Translations

someone who has control over something or someone

Albanian: pronar (sq) m
Arabic: سَيِّد m (sayyid)
Aromanian: domnu, afendu
Basque: jabe
Belarusian: гаспада́р (be) m (haspadár), валада́р m (valadár)
Bulgarian: господа́р (bg) m (gospodár)
Buryat: эзэн (ezen), эжэн (ežen)
Catalan: mestre (ca) m
Chinese:
Mandarin: 主人 (zh) (zhǔrén)
Czech: pán (cs) m
Daur: ejin
Esperanto: mastro (eo), reganto
Estonian: isand (et)
Finnish: herra (fi), isäntä (fi)
Franco-Provençal: maîtro m
French: maître (fr) m
Friulian: paron m
Galician: amo (gl) m
Georgian: ბატონი (baṭoni), მბრძანებელი (ka) (mbrʒanebeli)
German: Meister (de)
Greek: κύριος (el) m (kýrios), αφέντης (el) m (aféntis)
Ancient: ἄναξ (ánax), δεσπότης (despótēs), κοίρανος (koíranos), μεδέων (medéōn), πρύτανις (prútanis), κύριος (kúrios)
Hindi: सरवर (hi) m (sarvar), सलार (hi) m (salār), मालिक (hi) m (mālik), प्रभु (hi) m (prabhu), साहिब (hi) m (sāhib), साहब (hi) m (sāhab), मास्टर (hi) m (māsṭar), सालार (hi) m (sālār)
Hungarian: mester (hu)
Indonesian: master (id)
Italian: padrone (it) m
Japanese: 主人 (ja) (しゅじん, shujin)
Kalmyk: эзн (ezn)
Kannada: ಎರೆ (kn) (ere)
Kazakh: ие (ie)
Khmer: ម្ចាស់ (km) (mcah), មេ (km) (mee), សាមី (km) (saaməy), គម្ដែង (km) (kumdaeng)
Kikuyu: mwathani class 1
Korean: 주인 (ko) (ju'in)
Lao: ບໍດີ (bǭ dī), ນາຽ (nāi)
Latgalian: saiminīks m, saimineica f
Latin: dominus (la)
Latvian: saimnieks m, saimniece f
Ligurian: padrón m
Macedonian: господар m (gospodar), стопан m (stopan)
Manchu: ᡝᠵᡝᠨ (ejen)
Megleno-Romanian: stăpǫn m
Mongolian:
Cyrillic: эзэн (mn) (ezen)

Mongolian: ᠡᠵᠡᠨ (eǰen)
Nivkh: ыс (əs)
Norman: maître m
Norwegian: mester (no) m, herre (no) m
Occitan: mèstre (oc) m
Old English: hlāford m
Persian: سرور (fa) (sarvar), سالار (fa) (sâlâr), مالک (fa) (mâlek)
Polish: władca (pl) m
Portuguese: mestre (pt) m, amo (pt) m
Romanian: stăpân (ro) m, proprietar (ro) m, patron (ro) m
Russian: хозя́ин (ru) m (xozjáin), господи́н (ru) m (gospodín), влады́ка (ru) m (vladýka)
Samogitian: gaspaduorios m, gaspaduorė f
Sanskrit: प्रभु (sa) m (prabhu)
Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic: госпо̀да̄р m

Roman: gospòdār (sh) m
Sicilian: mastru (scn) m, patruni (scn) m, patruna f, principali (scn) m or f
Slovak: pán (sk) m
Slovene: gospodár (sl) m
Spanish: amo (es) m
Swedish: huvudman (sv) c, herre (sv) c
Tagalog: amo (tl)
Thai: เจ้านาย (th) (jâo-naai), นาย (th) (naai)
Turkish: komodor (tr), patron (tr), efendi (tr), bey (tr)
Turkmen: eýe
Ukrainian: хазя́їн m (xazjájin), госпо́дар (uk) m (hospódar), воло́дар (uk) m (volódar)
Vietnamese: chủ (vi)
Walloon: mwaisse (wa)
White Hmong: tswv
Yiddish: בעל־הבית m (balebos)

owner of an animal or slave

Arabic: سَيِّد m (sayyid)
Belarusian: пан m (pan), улада́р m (uladár), гаспада́р (be) m (haspadár)
Bulgarian: со́бственик (bg) m (sóbstvenik), стопа́нин (bg) m (stopánin), господа́р (bg) m (gospodár), хазя́ин (bg) m (hazjáin)
Czech: pán (cs) m
Esperanto: mastro (eo), posedanto, sinjoro (eo)
Finnish: isäntä (fi)
Friulian: paron m
Georgian: მესაკუთრე (mesaḳutre), მფლობელი (mplobeli), მეპატრონე (meṗaṭrone)
German: Frauchen (de) n (animal), Herrchen (de) n (animal)
Greek: κύριος (el) m (kýrios)
Ancient: κύριος (kúrios), δεσπότης (despótēs), ἄναξ (ánax)
Hebrew: בְּעָלִים m pl (be'alím)
Hindi: मेहतर (hi) m (mehtar)
Hungarian: gazda (hu)
Italian: padrone (it) m, padrona (it) f, proprietario (it) m
Japanese: 飼い主 (ja) (かいぬし, kainushi) (animal)
Kazakh: ие (ie)
Khmer: ទាសបតិ (tiehsa’pa’te’)
Kyrgyz: ээси (ky) (eesi)
Lao: ສວາມີ (suā mī)
Latin: dominus (la)
Latvian: saimnieks m, saimniece f
Macedonian: господар m (gospodar), стопан m (stopan)
Norwegian: herre (no) m
Old English: hlāford m
Persian: مهتر (fa) (mahtar), ارباب (fa) (arbâb)
Polish: pan (pl) m, pani (pl) f
Portuguese: dono (pt) m, proprietário (pt) m, senhor (pt) m
Romanian: stăpân (ro) m, proprietar (ro) m
Russian: хозя́ин (ru) m (xozjáin), владе́лец (ru) m (vladélec), повели́тель (ru) m (povelítelʹ)
Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic: госпо̀да̄р m

Roman: gospòdār (sh) m
Sicilian: patruni (scn) m, patruna f, prupitaru m, prupitara f
Slovene: gospodar (sl) m
Spanish: amo (es) m
Swedish: husbonde (sv) c, herre (sv) c
Tagalog: amo (tl)
Turkish: efendi (tr)
Turkmen: eýe
Ukrainian: хазя́їн m (xazjájin), воло́дар (uk) m (volódar)
White Hmong: tswv

captain of a merchant ship

Bulgarian: капита́н m (kapitán)
Esperanto: ŝipestro
Finnish: kapteeni (fi)
Greek: πλοίαρχος (el) m (ploíarchos), (colloquial) καπετάνιος (el) m (kapetánios)
Hungarian: kapitány (hu)
Italian: capitano (it) m, comandante (it) m
Japanese: 船長 (ja) (せんちょう, senchō)
Latin: dominus (la)
Persian: ناخدا (fa) (nâxodâ)
Portuguese: capitão (pt) m
Russian: капита́н (ru) m (kapitán)
Sicilian: capuraìs m, capurais m, capitanu (scn) m
Spanish: capitán (es) m
Tagalog: kapitan (tl), capitan (obsolete)
Turkish: kaptan (tr)

head of a household

Esperanto: domestro
Finnish: perheenpää
Greek: νοικοκύρης (el) m (noikokýris), κύρης (el) m (kýris)
Ancient: δεσπότης m (despótēs)
Hindi: बुज़ुर्ग m (buzurg), बुजुर्ग (hi) m (bujurg)
Hungarian: úr (hu)
Japanese: 主人 (ja) (しゅじん, shujin), 主 (ja) (ぬし, nushi; しゅ, shu), 世帯主 (ja) (せたいぬし, setainushi)
Kannada: ಎರೆ (kn) (ere)
Persian: بزرگ (fa) (bozorg)
Polabian: vart m
Polish: głowa rodziny (pl) f, gospodarz (pl)
Sicilian: capufamigghia m or f
White Hmong: tswv, tswv tsev

someone who employs others

Esperanto: ĉefo (eo)
Finnish: isäntä (fi), työnantaja (fi)
Greek: αφεντικό (el) n (afentikó)
Ancient: δεσπότης (despótēs), κύριος (kúrios), ἄναξ (ánax)
Italian: boss (it) m, capo (it) m, titolare (it) m
Japanese: 主人 (ja) (しゅじん, shujin), 主 (ja) (ぬし, nushi; しゅ, shu), 雇用主 (こようぬし, koyōnushi)
Latin: dominus (la) m
Macedonian: газда m (gazda)
Persian: کارفرما (fa) (kârfarmâ)
Polish: kapitan (pl) m
Portuguese: patrão (pt) m
Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic: gazda (sh) m

Roman: газда m
Sicilian: mastru (scn) m, patruni (scn) m, capurali m
Spanish: patrón (es) m
Swedish: husbonde (sv) c
Tagalog: bossing (colloquial), amo (tl) (common), compatron (obsolete)
Turkish: usta (tr), işveren (tr)
Turkmen: başlyk (tk), ussa

expert at something

Arabic: أُصُولِيّ m (ʔuṣūliyy), أُصُولِيَّة f (ʔuṣūliyya), خَبِير m (ḵabīr)
Avar: устӏар (ustʼar)
Azerbaijani: usta (az)
Basque: maisu
Belarusian: ма́йстар m (májstar), ма́йстарка f (májstarka)
Bulgarian: ма́йстор (bg) m (májstor), ма́йсторка f (májstorka)
Catalan: mestre (ca) m
Chinese:
Mandarin: 技師 / 技师 (zh) (jìshī), 巨匠 (zh) (jùjiàng), 大師 / 大师 (zh) (dàshī)
Czech: mistr (cs) m, mistryně (cs) f
Dutch: meester (nl) m
Esperanto: majstro
Estonian: meister
Finnish: mestari (fi)
French: maître (fr) m
Friulian: mestri m
Galician: mestre (gl) m
Georgian: ოსტატი (osṭaṭi), სპეციალისტი (sṗecialisṭi)
German: Meister (de) m, Meisterin (de) f
Greek: δάσκαλος (el) m (dáskalos), (colloquial) μάστορας (el) m (mástoras), αριστοτέχνης (el) m (aristotéchnis)
Ancient: σοφιστής (sophistḗs)
Hebrew: אָמָּן (he) m (omán)
Hindi: उस्ताद (hi) m (ustād), मास्टर (hi) m (māsṭar)
Hungarian: mester (hu)
Ingrian: maasteri, meisteri
Italian: padrone (it) m, maestro (it) m
Japanese: 達人 (ja) (たつじん, tatsujin), 匠 (ja) (たくみ, takumi)
Kazakh: шебер (kk) (şeber), ұста (kk) (ūsta)
Korean: 달인 (ko) (darin), 명수 (ko) (myeongsu)
Kurdish:
Central Kurdish: وەستا (westa)
Kyrgyz: уста (ky) (usta), чебер (ky) (ceber)
Latin: magister (la) m
Ligurian: méistro m
Luxembourgish: Meeschter m
Macedonian: мајстор (mk) m (majstor), мајсторка f (majstorka)
Maori: iho pūmanawa, mataaro, mātanga
Nanai: пакси (paksi)
Neapolitan: masto m
Norwegian: mester (no) m
Persian: استاد (fa) (ostâd)
Polish: mistrz (pl) m, majster (pl) m, mistrzyni (pl) f
Portuguese: mestre (pt) m
Romanian: maestru (ro) m
Russian: ма́стер (ru) m (máster), мастери́ца (ru) f (masteríca) (feminine form is less common), уме́лец (ru) m (umélec) (somewhat dated), уме́лица (ru) f (umélica)
Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic: мајстор m

Roman: majstor (sh) m
Sicilian: mastru (scn) m, mastra f
Slovak: majster m, majstryňa f
Slovene: mojster (sl) m, mojstrica f
Spanish: maestro (es) m, máster (es) m
Swedish: mästare (sv) c
Tabasaran: уста (usta)
Tagalog: pantas (tl)
Tajik: устод (tg) (ustod)
Tatar: оста (tt) (osta)
Turkish: usta (tr), üstad
Turkmen: türgen, ökde, ussat
Ukrainian: ма́йстер (uk) m (májster), ма́йстерка f (májsterka)
Urdu: استاد m (ustād)
Walloon: mwaisse (wa)
Yiddish: מײַסטער m (mayster)

tradesman who is qualified to teach apprentices

Bulgarian: ма́йстор (bg) m (májstor)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 师傅 (zh) (shīfu)
Czech: mistr (cs) m
Finnish: mestari (fi)
Friulian: mestri m
Greek: αρχιτεχνίτης (el) m (architechnítis), (colloquial) μάστορας (el) m (mástoras)
Hindi: उस्ताद (hi) m (ustād), मास्टर (hi) m (māsṭar), प्रभु (hi) m (prabhu)
Hungarian: mester (hu)
Ingrian: maasteri, meisteri
Italian: maestro (it) m
Kurdish:
Central Kurdish: وەستا (westa)
Latin: magister (la)
Macedonian: мајстор (mk) m (majstor)
Norwegian: mester (no) m
Persian: اُستاد (fa) (ostâd)
Polish: mistrz (pl) m, majster (pl) m
Portuguese: mestre (pt) m
Russian: ма́стер (ru) m (máster)
Sanskrit: प्रभु (sa) m (prabhu)
Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic: мајстор m

Roman: majstor (sh) m
Sicilian: mastru (scn) m
Slovene: mojster (sl) m
Spanish: maestro (es) m
Swedish: mästare (sv)
Tagalog: guro (tl) (lit. teacher), maestro (obsolete)
Turkish: hoca (tr)
Turkmen: ussa, ussat

schoolmaster — see schoolmaster

skilled artist

Esperanto: majstro
Finnish: mestari (fi)
Hindi: उस्ताद (hi) m (ustād)
Hungarian: mester (hu)
Italian: maestro (it)
Japanese: 達人 (ja) (たつじん, tatsujin), 匠 (ja) (たくみ, takumi)
Persian: استاد (fa) (ostâd)
Portuguese: mestre (pt)
Sicilian: mastru (scn) m
Swedish: mästare (sv) c
Turkmen: çeper, ussat

courtesy title of a man

Belarusian: пан m (pan), спада́р (be) m (spadár)
Esperanto: fraŭlo (eo), sinjoro (eo)
Finnish: herra (fi)
German: Meister (de) m
Greek: κύριος (el) m (kýrios)
Hindi: आका (hi) m (ākā), आक़ा m (āqā), आगा (hi) m (āgā), आग़ा m (āġā), साहिब (hi) m (sāhib), साहब (hi) m (sāhab), मास्टर (hi) m (māsṭar)
Italian: mastro (it) m
Latin: dominus (la)
Persian: آقا (fa) (âqâ)
Polish: (usually capitalized) pan (pl) m
Portuguese: senhor (pt) m
Romanian: maestru (ro) m
Sicilian: mastru (scn) m, don m, donna (scn) f, gna (scn) f, zìu m, zu (scn) m, zìa f, za (scn) f, signuri (scn) m
Spanish: maese (es) m, amo (es) m, señor (es) m
Swedish: mäster (sv) c
Turkmen: başlyk (tk)
Ukrainian: пан (uk) m (pan)

courtesy title for a boy

Chinese:
Mandarin: 小爺 / 小爷 (zh) (xiǎoyé), 少爺 / 少爷 (zh) (shàoyé, shàoye)
Finnish: nuoriherra
German: Junker (de) m
Hindi: मास्टर (hi) m (māsṭar)
Japanese: ぼっちゃま (botchama)
Latin: dominulus m
Persian: آقاپسَر (fa) (âqâpesar)
Polish: panicz (pl) m
Portuguese: senhorzinho m
Romanian: jupân (ro) m
Russian: ма́стер (ru) m (máster) (in translations), ба́рич (ru) m (bárič) (obsolete), барчу́к (ru) m (barčúk) (obsolete), молодо́й челове́к (ru) m (molodój čelovék)
Spanish: joven amo m, señorito (es) m
Turkmen: han ogul, aga (tk)

master's degree

Arabic:
Egyptian Arabic: ماچستير m (majestēr)
Esperanto: magistreco
Finnish: maisterin tutkinto, maisterintutkinto
Georgian: მაგისტრატურა (magisṭraṭura), მაგისტრის ხარისხი (magisṭris xarisxi)
Hindi: मास्टर (hi) m (māsṭar)
Indonesian: magister (id)
Japanese: 修士 (ja) (しゅうし, shūshi), 修士号, 修士学位
Polish: magister (pl) m
Portuguese: mestre (pt)
Swedish: magistersgrad c, master (sv), magister (sv)
Vietnamese: thạc sĩ (vi)

person holding a master's degree

Belarusian: магі́стр m (mahístr), магі́стар m (mahístar) (Taraškievica)
Bulgarian: маги́стър m (magístǎr)
Esperanto: magistro
Finnish: maisteri (fi)
Georgian: მაგისტრი (magisṭri)
Hindi: मास्टर (hi) m (māsṭar)
Indonesian: magister (id)
Japanese: 修士 (ja) (しゅうし, shūshi)
Kazakh: магистр (magistr)
Lao: ມະຫາບັນດິດ (ma hā ban dit)
Mongolian: магистр (mn) (magistr)
Persian: کارشناس ارشد (kâršenâs-e aršad)
Polish: magister (pl) m
Portuguese: mestre (pt)
Russian: маги́стр (ru) m (magístr)
Swedish: magister (sv) c
Tagalog: pantas (tl)
Thai: มหาบัณฑิต (th) (má-hǎa-ban-dìt)
Ukrainian: магі́стр (uk) m (mahístr)

original of a document or of a recording

Bulgarian: оригина́л (bg) m (originál)
Finnish: alkuperäinen (fi), alkuperäiskappale, kantakappale, kantakopio, master-versio, master-kopio
Greek: πρωτότυπο (el) n (protótypo)
Hindi: असली (hi) (aslī)
Indonesian: master (id)
Italian: master (it) m, originale (it) m
Japanese: 原本 (ja) (げんぽん, genpon)
Latin: dominus (la) m
Norwegian: original (no) m, masterkopi m
Persian: اصلی (fa) (asli)
Polish: kopia-matka f
Portuguese: máster (pt) m
Romanian: original (ro) n
Russian: оригина́л (ru) m (originál)
Spanish: maestro (es) m (recording)
Swedish: förlaga (sv) c
Thai: ต้นฉบับ (th) (dtôn-chà-bàp)
Welsh: prif gopi m

film: primary wide shot of a scene

legal: parajudicial officer

engineering: device that is controlling other devices or is an authoritative source

Italian: master (it) m
Japanese: マスター (ja) (masutā)
Russian: веду́щий (ru) m (vedúščij), веду́щее устро́йство n (vedúščeje ustrójstvo)

freemasonry: person holding an office of authority

Esperanto: majstro
Finnish: mestari (fi)

person holding a similar office in other civic societies

Finnish: puheenjohtaja (fi)
Italian: principale (it) m

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

Latin: ^{(please verify)} dominus (la) m
Turkish: ^{(please verify)} ağa (tr)

Adjective

master (not comparable)

Masterful.
a master performance
Main, principal or predominant.
Highly skilled.
master batsman
- 1895, Marshall Mather, Lancashire Idylls, page 39:
  In another minute she lay peaceful and motionless under the anæsthetic — a statue, immobile, yet expressionful, as though carved by some master hand.
Original.
master copy

Derived terms

Translations

main, principal or predominant

Bulgarian: главен (bg) (glaven)
Finnish: pää-
Greek: κύριος (el) (kýrios), κεντρικός (el) (kentrikós)
Italian: maestro (it)
Macedonian: господарски (gospodarski)
Norwegian: hoved-

highly skilled

Bulgarian: майсторски (bg) (majstorski)
Finnish: -mestari, -taituri
Hindi: उस्ताद (hi) (ustād), माहिर (hi) (māhir)
Kyrgyz: уста (ky) (usta), чебер (ky) (ceber)
Macedonian: мајсторски (majstorski)
Norwegian: mester-
Persian: استاد (fa) (ostâd), ماهر (fa) (mâher)
Serbo-Croatian: majstorski (sh), мајсторски
Tajik: устод (tg) (ustod)
Thai: ชั้นครู

original

Finnish: alkuperäinen (fi)
Greek: αυθεντικός (el) (afthentikós)
Hindi: अस्ल (hi) (asla), असल (hi) (asal)
Italian: mastro (it) m
Norwegian: original-
Persian: اصل (fa) (asl)

Verb

master (third-person singular simple present masters, present participle mastering, simple past and past participle mastered)

(intransitive) To be a master.
(transitive) To become the master of; to subject to one's will, control, or authority; to conquer; to overpower; to subdue.
- 1693, [John Locke], “(please specify the section number)”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], →OCLC:
  Obstinacy and willful neglects must be mastered, even though it cost blows.
- [1898], J[ohn] Meade Falkner, Moonfleet, London; Toronto, Ont.: Jonathan Cape, published 1934, →OCLC:
  Then Elzevir cried out angrily, 'Silence. Are you mad, or has the liquor mastered you? Are you Revenue-men that you dare shout and roister? or contrabandiers with the lugger in the offing, and your life in your hand. You make noise enough to wake folk in Moonfleet from their beds.'
(transitive) To learn to a high degree of proficiency.
It took her years to master the art of needlecraft.
(transitive, obsolete) To own; to possess.
- c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], page 183, column 2:
  […] the wealth / That the world maſters.
(transitive, especially of a musical performance) To make a master copy of.
(intransitive, usually with in) To earn a Master's degree.
He mastered in English at the state college.

Derived terms

Terms derived from the verb master

Translations

to be a master

Finnish: hallita (fi)
Greek: κυριαρχώ (el) (kyriarchó)
Macedonian: господари m (gospodari)
Norwegian: lede (no)
Romanian: stăpâni (ro)
Serbo-Croatian: gospodariti (sh), господарити

to control

Bulgarian: владея (bg) (vladeja), управлявам (bg) (upravljavam)
Dutch: controleren (nl)
Finnish: hallita (fi)
Greek: κυβερνώ (el) (kyvernó)
Italian: padroneggiare (it)
Macedonian: владее (vladee), управува (upravuva), раководи (rakovodi)
Norwegian: styre (no)
Romanian: stăpâni (ro), conduce (ro), controla (ro)
Scottish Gaelic: ceannsaich
Welsh: gwastrodi, meistroli

to learn to a high degree

Dutch: beheersen (nl)
Esperanto: ellerni
Finnish: hallita (fi)
French: maîtriser (fr)
German: meistern (de), beherrschen (de)
Greek: κατέχω (el) (katécho)
Ancient: κρατέω (kratéō)
Hungarian: elsajátít (hu)
Ingrian: maasteroittaa
Japanese: マスターする (masutā suru), 熟達する (ja) (jukutatsu suru)
Kazakh: меңгеру (meñgeru)
Macedonian: владее (vladee)
Norwegian: mestre, beherske (no)
Portuguese: dominar (pt)
Romanian: stăpâni (ro), excela (ro)
Spanish: dominar (es)
Swedish: bemästra (sv)
Ukrainian: опано́вувати impf (opanóvuvaty), опанува́ти pf (opanuváty), оволодіва́ти impf (ovolodiváty), оволоді́ти pf (ovolodíty), засво́ювати impf (zasvójuvaty), засво́їти pf (zasvójity), осво́ювати impf (osvójuvaty), осво́їти pf (osvójity)

to make a master copy of

Catalan: masteritzar (ca)
Finnish: masteroida
German: mastern
Portuguese: masterizar
Welsh: meistroli

Etymology 2

From mast +‎ -er.

Noun

master (plural masters)

(nautical, in combination) A vessel having a specified number of masts.
a two-master

Derived terms

four-master

Translations

vessel having specified number of masts

Finnish: -mastoinen (in compound words)
Polish: -masztowiec m

Anagrams

Stamer, ramset, metras, matres, mastre, maters, armets, armest, termas, tamers, trémas, remast, Tamers, Stream, ramets, 'maters, stream, METARs, tremas, Amster

Finnish

Etymology

From English master.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈmɑster/, [ˈmɑ̝s̠te̞r]
Rhymes: -ɑster
Hyphenation^(key): mas‧ter

Noun

master

(BDSM) (male) dom

Declension

Inflection of master (Kotus type 6/paperi, no gradation)
nominative		master	masterit
genitive		masterin	masterien mastereiden mastereitten
partitive		masteria	mastereita mastereja
illative		masteriin	mastereihin
		singular	plural
nominative		master	masterit
accusative	nom.	master	masterit
accusative	gen.	masterin	masterit
genitive		masterin	masterien mastereiden mastereitten
partitive		masteria	mastereita mastereja
inessive		masterissa	mastereissa
elative		masterista	mastereista
illative		masteriin	mastereihin
adessive		masterilla	mastereilla
ablative		masterilta	mastereilta
allative		masterille	mastereille
essive		masterina	mastereina
translative		masteriksi	mastereiksi
abessive		masteritta	mastereitta
instructive		—	masterein
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of master (Kotus type 6/paperi, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor
		singular	plural
nominative		masterini	masterini
accusative	nom.	masterini	masterini
accusative	gen.	masterini	masterini
genitive		masterini	masterieni mastereideni mastereitteni
partitive		masteriani	mastereitani masterejani
inessive		masterissani	mastereissani
elative		masteristani	mastereistani
illative		masteriini	mastereihini
adessive		masterillani	mastereillani
ablative		masteriltani	mastereiltani
allative		masterilleni	mastereilleni
essive		masterinani	mastereinani
translative		masterikseni	mastereikseni
abessive		masterittani	mastereittani
instructive		—	—
comitative		—	mastereineni

second-person singular possessor
		singular	plural
nominative		masterisi	masterisi
accusative	nom.	masterisi	masterisi
accusative	gen.	masterisi	masterisi
genitive		masterisi	masteriesi mastereidesi mastereittesi
partitive		masteriasi	mastereitasi masterejasi
inessive		masterissasi	mastereissasi
elative		masteristasi	mastereistasi
illative		masteriisi	mastereihisi
adessive		masterillasi	mastereillasi
ablative		masteriltasi	mastereiltasi
allative		masterillesi	mastereillesi
essive		masterinasi	mastereinasi
translative		masteriksesi	mastereiksesi
abessive		masterittasi	mastereittasi
instructive		—	—
comitative		—	mastereinesi

first-person plural possessor
		singular	plural
nominative		masterimme	masterimme
accusative	nom.	masterimme	masterimme
accusative	gen.	masterimme	masterimme
genitive		masterimme	masteriemme mastereidemme mastereittemme
partitive		masteriamme	mastereitamme masterejamme
inessive		masterissamme	mastereissamme
elative		masteristamme	mastereistamme
illative		masteriimme	mastereihimme
adessive		masterillamme	mastereillamme
ablative		masteriltamme	mastereiltamme
allative		masterillemme	mastereillemme
essive		masterinamme	mastereinamme
translative		masteriksemme	mastereiksemme
abessive		masterittamme	mastereittamme
instructive		—	—
comitative		—	mastereinemme

second-person plural possessor
		singular	plural
nominative		masterinne	masterinne
accusative	nom.	masterinne	masterinne
accusative	gen.	masterinne	masterinne
genitive		masterinne	masterienne mastereidenne mastereittenne
partitive		masterianne	mastereitanne masterejanne
inessive		masterissanne	mastereissanne
elative		masteristanne	mastereistanne
illative		masteriinne	mastereihinne
adessive		masterillanne	mastereillanne
ablative		masteriltanne	mastereiltanne
allative		masterillenne	mastereillenne
essive		masterinanne	mastereinanne
translative		masteriksenne	mastereiksenne
abessive		masterittanne	mastereittanne
instructive		—	—
comitative		—	mastereinenne

third-person possessor
		singular	plural
nominative		masterinsa	masterinsa
accusative	nom.	masterinsa	masterinsa
accusative	gen.	masterinsa	masterinsa
genitive		masterinsa	masteriensa mastereidensa mastereittensa
partitive		masteriaan masteriansa	mastereitaan masterejaan mastereitansa masterejansa
inessive		masterissaan masterissansa	mastereissaan mastereissansa
elative		masteristaan masteristansa	mastereistaan mastereistansa
illative		masteriinsa	mastereihinsa
adessive		masterillaan masterillansa	mastereillaan mastereillansa
ablative		masteriltaan masteriltansa	mastereiltaan mastereiltansa
allative		masterilleen masterillensa	mastereilleen mastereillensa
essive		masterinaan masterinansa	mastereinaan mastereinansa
translative		masterikseen masteriksensa	mastereikseen mastereiksensa
abessive		masterittaan masterittansa	mastereittaan mastereittansa
instructive		—	—
comitative		—	mastereineen mastereinensa

French

French Wikipedia has an article on:

master

Wikipedia ^fr

Etymology

Borrowed from English master. Doublet of maestro, borrowed from Italian, magister, borrowed from Latin, and maître, inherited from Latin.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /mas.tɛʁ/, /mas.tœʁ/
Audio: (file)

Noun

master m (plural masters)

master's degree, master's (postgraduate degree)
master (golf tournament)
master, master copy

Anagrams

trames, trémas

Indonesian

Etymology

From Dutch master, from English master, from Middle English maister, mayster, meister, from Old English mǣster, mæġster, mæġester, mæġister, magister (“master”), from Latin magister (“chief, teacher, leader”), from Old Latin magester, from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s, (as in magnus (“great”)) + -ester/-ister (compare minister (“servant”)). Doublet of maestro, magister, and mester.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ˈmast̪ər]
Hyphenation: mas‧têr

Noun

master (plural)

master:
1. someone who has control over something or someone.
2. an expert at something.
3. the original of a document or of a recording.
4. (education) a master's degree; a type of postgraduate degree, usually undertaken after a bachelor degree.
  Synonyms: magister, master, sarjana utama

Affixed terms

Compounds

Norwegian Bokmål

Noun

master m or f

indefinite plural of mast

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology 1

From English master. Doublet of magister.

Noun

master m (definite singular masteren, indefinite plural masterar, definite plural masterane)

a master's degree
a master's thesis
a person that has a master's degree
original document or recording

Etymology 2

Noun

master f (definite singular mastra or mastri, indefinite plural mastrer, definite plural mastrene)

(pre-2012) alternative form of mast

Etymology 3

Noun

master f

indefinite plural of mast

References

“master” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old Frisian

Alternative forms

Etymology

Borrowed from Vulgar Latin *maester, from Latin magister. Cognates include Old English mæġester and Old Saxon mēstar.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈmaːster/

Noun

māster m

Inflection

Declension of māster (masculine a-stem)
	singular	plural
nominative	māster	māsterar, māstera
accusative	māster	māsterar, māstera
genitive	māsteres	māstera
dative	māstere	māsterum, māsterem

Derived terms

Māster

Descendants

Saterland Frisian: Mäster
West Frisian: master

References

Bremmer, Rolf H. (2009) An Introduction to Old Frisian: History, Grammar, Reader, Glossary, Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 28

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from English master. Doublet of măiestru, maestru, maistru, magistru, and meșter.

Noun

master m (plural mastere)

master's degree

Declension

	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
	singular		plural
nominative-accusative	master	masterul	mastere	masterei
genitive-dative	master	masterului	mastere	masterelor
vocative	masterule		masterelor

Swedish

Noun

master

indefinite plural of mast

Anagrams

smarte, smetar

Turkish

Turkish Wikipedia has an article on:

Yüksek lisans

Wikipedia ^tr

Alternative forms

mastır

Etymology

Borrowed from English master, from Old English mæġester, from Latin magister, from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s. Doublet of maestro.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈmas.tɯɾ/
Hyphenation: mas‧ter

Noun

master (definite accusative masterı, plural masterlar)

master's degree
Synonym: yüksek lisans

West Frisian

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

master c (plural masters, diminutive masterke)

master

Derived terms

boargemaster

master

English

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Alternative forms

Noun

Hyponyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Descendants

Translations

See also

Adjective

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

Derived terms

Translations

Etymology 2

Noun

Derived terms

Translations

Anagrams

Finnish

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Declension

French

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Further reading

Anagrams

Indonesian

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Affixed terms

Compounds

Further reading

Norwegian Bokmål

Noun

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology 1

Noun

Etymology 2

Noun

Etymology 3

Noun

References

Old Frisian

Alternative forms

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Inflection

Derived terms

Descendants

References

Romanian

Etymology

Noun

Declension

Swedish

Noun

Anagrams

Turkish

Alternative forms

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Further reading

West Frisian

Etymology

Noun

Derived terms

Further reading