Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for master

master

[ mas-ter, mah-ster ]

noun

  1. a person with the ability or power to use, control, or dispose of something:

    a master of six languages;

    to be master of one's fate.

    Synonyms: expert, adept

  2. an owner of enslaved people, in the institution of chattel slavery; a slaveholder:

    Antebellum laws and codes in the South restricted the circumstances under which masters could free African Americans from slavery.

  3. an owner of a pet or other animal:

    The dog waited at the end of the lane every evening to greet his master coming home.

  4. Older Use. the male head of a household:

    As the oldest son, he felt a lot of pressure to act as the master of the house after his father’s passing.

  5. Older Use. an employer of workers or servants:

    The valet unpacked his master’s luggage prior to his arrival.

  6. Sometimes Master. the dominant sexual partner in a BDSM relationship of unequal power.
  7. a person eminently skilled in something, as an occupation, art, or science:

    the great masters of the Impressionist period.

  8. a person whose teachings others accept or follow:

    a Zen master.

  9. Chiefly British. a male teacher or schoolmaster.
  10. a worker qualified to teach apprentices and to carry on a trade independently.
  11. a title given to a bridge or chess player who has won or placed in a certain number of officially recognized tournaments.
  12. a person holding this title.
  13. Also called mas·ter mar·i·ner [mas, -ter , mar, -, uh, -ner, mah, -ster]. a person who commands a merchant ship; captain.
  14. a victor or conqueror.
  15. a presiding officer.
  16. an officer of the court to whom some or all of the issues in a case may be referred for the purpose of taking testimony and making a report to the court.
  17. the Master. Christianity. Jesus Christ.
  18. a person who has been awarded a master's degree.
  19. a boy or young man (used chiefly as a term of address).
  20. Also called matrix. an original document, drawing, manuscript, etc., from which copies are made.
  21. Machinery, Computers. a device or process that controls another device or process operating in a similar way. Compare slave ( def 5 ).
  22. Recording.
    1. an audio disk or tape from which duplicates may be made.
  23. Computers an original data file or disk from which duplicates may be made.
  24. Also called cop·y neg·a·tive [kop, -ee , neg, -, uh, -tiv]. Photography. a film, usually a negative, used primarily for making large quantities of prints.
  25. Archaic. a work of art produced by a master.


adjective

  1. being master; exercising mastery; dominant.
  2. chief or principal:

    a master list.

  3. directing or controlling:

    a master switch.

    Synonyms: cardinal, prime, primary, leading, main

  4. of or relating to a master from which duplicates are made:

    a master recording;

    the master copy of a piece of software.

    The master film had been misfiled in the archives.

  5. dominating or predominant:

    a master play.

  6. being a master of some occupation, art, etc.; eminently skilled:

    a master diplomat;

    a master pianist.

  7. being a master carrying on one's trade independently, rather than a worker employed by another:

    a master plumber.

  8. characteristic of a master; showing expert skill, ability, or knowledge:

    The chosen design was a master achievement that still amazes architects, engineers, and scientists today.

    Synonyms: skillful, expert, adept

verb (used with object)

  1. to make oneself master of; become an adept in:

    to master a language.

  2. to conquer or overcome:

    to master one's pride.

    Synonyms: control, subdue

  3. to rule or direct as master:

    to master a crew.

    Synonyms: manage, govern

  4. Recording. to produce a master audio file, disk, phonograph record, or tape of:

    The producer recorded, mixed, and mastered the new album.

Master

1

/ ˈmɑːstə /

noun

  1. a title of address placed before the first name or surname of a boy
  2. a respectful term of address, esp as used by disciples when addressing or referring to a religious teacher
  3. an archaic equivalent of Mr
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


master

2

/ ˈmɑːstə /

noun

  1. the man in authority, such as the head of a household, the employer of servants, or the owner of slaves or animals magistral
    1. a person with exceptional skill at a certain thing

      a master of the violin

    2. ( as modifier )

      a master thief

  2. often capital a great artist, esp an anonymous but influential artist
    1. a person who has complete control of a situation
    2. an abstract thing regarded as having power or influence

      they regarded fate as the master of their lives

    1. a workman or craftsman fully qualified to practise his trade and to train others in it
    2. ( as modifier )

      master carpenter

    1. an original copy, stencil, tape, etc, from which duplicates are made
    2. ( as modifier )

      master copy

  3. a player of a game, esp chess or bridge, who has won a specified number of tournament games
  4. the principal of some colleges
  5. a highly regarded teacher or leader whose religion or philosophy is accepted by followers
  6. a graduate holding a master's degree
  7. the chief executive officer aboard a merchant ship
  8. a person presiding over a function, organization, or institution
  9. a male teacher
  10. an officer of the Supreme Court of Judicature subordinate to a judge
  11. the superior person or side in a contest
  12. a machine or device that operates to control a similar one
  13. often capital the heir apparent of a Scottish viscount or baron
  14. modifier overall or controlling

    master plan

  15. modifier designating a device or mechanism that controls others

    master switch

  16. modifier main; principal

    master bedroom

  17. the master informal.
    the man of the house
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to become thoroughly proficient in

    to master the art of driving

  2. to overcome; defeat

    to master your emotions

  3. to rule or control as master
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Derived Forms

  • ˈmasterdom, noun
  • ˈmastership, noun
  • ˈmasterˌhood, noun
  • ˈmasterless, adjective
Discover More

Other Words From

  • mas·ter·less adjective
  • out·mas·ter verb (used with object)
  • sub·mas·ter noun
  • un·der·mas·ter noun
  • un·mas·tered adjective
  • well-mas·tered adjective
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of master1

First recorded before 900; Middle English maistre, maister, Old English magister, from Latin; akin to magnus “great”
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of master1

Old English magister teacher, from Latin; related to Latin magis more, to a greater extent
Discover More

Idioms and Phrases

see past master .
Discover More

Example Sentences

They should look to more long-term master leasing of apartment buildings and hotels for supportive housing.

"I was assigned a master stash, the product located somewhere in the forest not far from the main road."

From Salon

A master of disguise, the Jackal first appears in elaborate — yet, to the viewer, obvious — prosthetics to make him look like a specific janitor in a building he’s planning to breach.

The Australian director cements himself as a true master of the musical number with his latest endeavor, “Better Man.”

The report also highlighted that the cruise ship's master and tug masters did not have a "shared understanding" of the plan of the Clydeport pilot, who was controlling Hebridean Princess at the time.

From BBC

Advertisement

Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


-mastedmaster aircrew