ms

1 of 3

abbreviation (1)

millisecond

Ms.

2 of 3

noun

variants US Ms. or British Ms
plural Mss. or Mses. ˈmi-zəz How to pronounce Ms. (audio)
used as a conventional title of courtesy before a woman's surname
My history teacher is Ms. Judson
used instead of Miss or Mrs. (as when the marital status of a woman is unknown or irrelevant)
Ms. Mary Smith
"I think you do want to dispute the fact that you had a difficult childhood," Ms. Johnston told Mrs. Gore, who was silent for several beats, then agreed.Katha Pollitt
But it wasn't until the 1970s that Ms. took its place in the emerging women's liberation movement. It was a heady time for women, and the new prefix represented an important new way for them to define themselves as individuals, rather than in terms of their relationship to men.Carol Toller

MS

3 of 3

abbreviation (2)

1
[Italian mano sinistra] left hand
2
manuscript
3
master of science
4
military science
5
Mississippi
6
motor ship
7
multiple sclerosis

Examples of ms in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Amongst other detailed findings, the report confirms the obvious: as far back as 2005 the Department of Children and Families missed numerous opportunities to intervene to protect Ms. Doe. Nate Baber, Hartford Courant, 30 Mar. 2025 When their score was announced, Mr. Mitrofanov and Ms. Efimova held photos of the victims. Story Hinckley, Christian Science Monitor, 29 Mar. 2025 The threat got results, according to an oral history that Ms. Lewis compiled. Trip Gabriel, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025 Her new show with mom Evelyn, Cooking Sessions with Tamar & Ms. E, premieres March 25 on CLEO TV. Jack Irvin, People.com, 26 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ms

Word History

Etymology

Noun

probably blend of Miss and Mrs.

First Known Use

Noun

1901, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ms was in 1901

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ms.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ms. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

Ms.

noun
plural Mss. or Mses. ˈmiz-əz How to pronounce Ms. (audio)
used instead of Miss or Mrs. (as when it is unknown or unimportant whether the woman addressed is married or single)
Etymology

Noun

probably a combination of Miss and Mrs.

Medical Definition

ms

1 of 2 abbreviation
millisecond

MS

2 of 2 abbreviation
1
mass spectrometry
2
master of science
3
multiple sclerosis

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