''Meister'' means 'master' in

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

(as in master craftsman, or as an honorific title such as

Meister Eckhart Eckhart von Hochheim ( – ), commonly known as Meister Eckhart, Master Eckhart

. In sports, ''Meister'' is used for the current national, European or world champion (e.g. ''Deutscher Meister'', ''Europameister'', ''Weltmeister''). During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, ''Meister'' was the highest enlisted rank of the German ''

Ordnungspolizei The ''Ordnungspolizei'' (), abbreviated ''Orpo'', meaning "Order Police", were the uniformed police force in Nazi Germany from 1936 to 1945. The Orpo organisation was absorbed into the Nazi monopoly on power after regional police jurisdiction w ...

''. Many modern-day German police forces also use the title of ''Meister''. ''Meister'' has been borrowed into

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

slang Slang is vocabulary (words, phrases, and linguistic usages) of an informal register, common in spoken conversation but avoided in formal writing. It also sometimes refers to the language generally exclusive to the members of particular in-g ...

, where it is used in compound nouns. A person referred to as “Meister” is one who has extensive theoretical knowledge and practical skills in his profession, business, or some other kind of work or activity. For example, a “puzzle-meister” would be someone highly skilled at solving puzzles. These

neologism A neologism Greek νέο- ''néo''(="new") and λόγος /''lógos'' meaning "speech, utterance"] is a relatively recent or isolated term, word, or phrase that may be in the process of entering common use, but that has not been fully accepted int ...

s sometimes have a sarcastic intent (for example, “stubble-meister” for someone with a short, neat beard, or “crier-meister” for someone who often cries).

Professional degree

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

and

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

, the word ''Meister'' also assigns a title and public degree in the field of

vocational education Vocational education is education that prepares people to work as a technician or to take up employment in a skilled craft or trade as a tradesperson or artisan. Vocational Education can also be seen as that type of education given to an i ...

. The German ''Meister'' title qualifies the holder to study at a University or ''Fachhochschule'', whether the ''Meister'' holds the regular entry qualification ('' Abitur'' or ''Fachhochschulreife'') or not. In 2012, the commissions of the states and the federal government, as well as the associated partners, concluded that the ''Meisterbrief'' is equivalent to a bachelor's degree (''Deutscher Qualifikationsrahmen für lebenslanges Lernen'' and ''European qualification framework EQF, Level 6, Niveau 6). In the year 2020 plans were finalised to rename the meister title to "professional bachelor" The Master craftsman is the highest professional qualification in crafts and is a state-approved grade. The education includes theoretical and practical training in the craft and also business and legal training, and includes the qualification to be allowed to train apprentices as well. The status of Master craftsman is regulated in the German ''Gesetz zur Ordnung des Handwerks, HwO'' (Crafts and Trades Regulation Code). To become a master craftsman usually requires vocational training in the specific crafts in which the examination should be taken (a successfully completed apprenticeship and examination, called ''Gesellenprüfung''). In addition to attaining the journeyman (''Geselle'') degree, until 2004 the Crafts and Trades Regulation Code did furthermore require practical experience of 3 years as a journeyman. In the German field of ''Meister'' education, specialised training courses for the ''Meisterprüfung'' ("Meister examination") can be followed. The duration of the courses can take 1 to 2 years. The examination includes theoretical, practical and oral parts and takes 5 to 7 days (depending on the craft). In some crafts, the creation of a masterpiece is also part of the examination.

Etymology

''Meister'' is derived from the

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

word "μήστωρ" (adviser, counselor, adept, scientist),Liddell & Scott, ''Handwörterbuch der griechischen Sprache: L - Ō'', Volume 2. the

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

word "magister" (teacher), the German "meister" from Old High German "meistar".

References

{{Authority control Titles German words and phrases

Professional degree

Etymology

See also

References