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master

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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    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), also cognate of English much and mickle) + -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

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    Noun

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    master (plural masters)

    1. Someone who has control over something or someone.
    2. The owner of an animal or slave.
    3. (nautical) The captain of a merchant ship; a master mariner.
      Synonyms: skipper, captain
      • 1896, Rudyard Kipling, The Mary Gloster:
        Master at two-and-twenty, and married at twenty-three—
    4. (dated) A male head of household.
    5. Someone who employs others.
    6. 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.
    7. A tradesman who is qualified to teach apprentices.
    8. (dated) A male schoolteacher.
    9. A skilled artist.
    10. (dated) A man or a boy; mister. See Master.
      • 1731 (date written; published 1745), [Jonathan] Swift, Directions to Servants [], London: [] R[obert] Dodsley, [], and M. Cooper, [], →OCLC:
        Where there are little Maſters and Miſſes in a Houſe, they are uſually great Impediments to the Diverſions of the Servants;
    11. 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.
    12. A person holding such a degree.
      He is a master of marine biology.
    13. The original of a document or of a recording.
      The band couldn't find the master, so they re-recorded their tracks.
    14. (by extension, music) The copyright in a sound recording.
      Many modern recording artists value owning their masters.
    15. (film) The primary wide shot of a scene, into which the closeups will be edited later.
      Synonyms: establishing shot, long shot
    16. (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. []
    17. (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
    18. (Freemasonry) A person holding an office of authority, especially the presiding officer.
    19. (by extension) A person holding a similar office in other civic societies.
    20. Ellipsis of 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.
    21. (BDSM) A male dominant.
      Coordinate term: mistress
    Hyponyms
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    Derived terms
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    English terms starting with “master”

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

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    master (not comparable)

    1. Masterful.
      a master performance
    2. Main, principal or predominant.
    3. 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.
    4. Original.
      master copy
    Derived terms
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    Translations
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    Verb

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

    1. (intransitive) To be a master.
    2. (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.'
    3. (transitive) To learn to a high degree of proficiency.
      It took her years to master the art of needlecraft.
    4. (transitive, obsolete) To own; to possess.
    5. (transitive, especially of a musical performance) To make a master copy of.
    6. (intransitive, usually with in) To earn a Master's degree.
      He mastered in English at the state college.
    Derived terms
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    Terms derived from the verb master
    Translations
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    Etymology 2

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      From mast + -er.

      Noun

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      master (plural masters)

      1. (nautical, in combination) A vessel having a specified number of masts.
        a two-master
      Derived terms
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      Translations
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      Anagrams

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      Dutch

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      Pronunciation

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      • IPA(key): /ˈmɑː.stər/
      • Audio:(file)
      • Hyphenation: ma‧ster

      Etymology 1

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      Borrowed from English crème fraîche.

      Noun

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      master m (plural masters, no diminutive)

      1. a master, boss, superior
        Synonym: meester
      2. a ruler, sovereign
        Synonym: heerser

      Etymology 2

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      Unadapted borrowing from English master.

      Noun

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      master m (plural masters, no diminutive)

      1. a master's degree; a type of postgraduate degree, usually undertaken after a bachelor degree.
      Derived terms
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      Etymology 3

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      See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

      Verb

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      master

      1. inflection of masteren:
        1. first-person singular present indicative
        2. (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative
        3. imperative

      Finnish

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      Etymology

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      From English master.

      Pronunciation

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

      Noun

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      master

      1. (BDSM) (male) dom

      Declension

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      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
      gen. masterin
      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
      gen. 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
      gen. 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

      French

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      French Wikipedia has an article on:
      Wikipedia fr

      Etymology

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

      Pronunciation

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      Noun

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      master m (plural masters)

      1. master's degree, master's (postgraduate degree)
      2. master (golf tournament)
      3. master, master copy

      Further reading

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      Anagrams

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      Indonesian

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      Etymology

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      From Dutch master. Doublet of maestro, magister, and mester.

      Pronunciation

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      Noun

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      mastêr (plural master-master or para master)

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

      Verb

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      mastêr (active memaster, passive dimaster)

      1. to master (to learn to a high degree)
      2. to master (to make a master copy of)

      Affixed terms

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      Compounds

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      Further reading

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      Norwegian Bokmål

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      Noun

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      master m or f

      1. indefinite plural of mast

      Norwegian Nynorsk

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      Etymology 1

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      From English master. Doublet of magister.

      Noun

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

      1. a master's degree
      2. a master's thesis
      3. a person that has a master's degree
      4. original document or recording

      Etymology 2

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      Noun

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

      1. (pre-2012) alternative form of mast

      Etymology 3

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      Noun

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      master f

      1. indefinite plural of mast

      References

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      Old Frisian

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      Alternative forms

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      Etymology

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

      Pronunciation

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      Noun

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      māster m

      1. master
      2. leader
      3. commissioner

      Inflection

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      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

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      Descendants

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      References

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

      Romanian

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      Etymology

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

      Noun

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      master m (plural mastere)

      1. master's degree

      Declension

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

      Swedish

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      Noun

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      master

      1. indefinite plural of mast

      Anagrams

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      Turkish

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      Turkish Wikipedia has an article on:
      Wikipedia tr

      Alternative forms

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      Etymology

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

      Pronunciation

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

      Noun

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      master (definite accusative masterı, plural masterlar)

      1. master's degree
        Synonym: yüksek lisans

      Further reading

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      West Frisian

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      Etymology

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

      Noun

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      master c (plural masters, diminutive masterke)

      1. master

      Derived terms

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      Further reading

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      • master”, in Wurdboek fan de Fryske taal (in Dutch), 2011