Mistress is the feminine form of the English word "master" (''master'' + ''-ess'') and may refer to:

Romance and relationships

Mistress (lover) A mistress is a woman who is in a relatively long-term sexual and romantic relationship with a man who is married to a different woman. Description A mistress is in a long-term relationship with her attached mister, and is often referred to ...

, a female lover of a married man **

Royal mistress A royal mistress is the historical position and sometimes unofficial title of the extramarital lover of a monarch or an heir apparent, who was expected to provide certain services, such as sexual or romantic intimacy, companionship, and advice ...

Maîtresse-en-titre ''maîtresse-en-titre'' () was the chief royal mistress of the King of France. The title came into use during the reign of Henry IV and continued through the reign of Louis XV. It was a semi-official position which came with its own apartme ...

, official mistress of a French king

Title or form of address

Mistress (form of address) Mistress is an old form of address for a woman. It implies "lady of the house", especially a woman who is head of a household with domestic workers. An example is Mistress Quickly in Shakespeare's ''The Merry Wives of Windsor''. The title did not ...

Mistress (college) A master (more generically called a head of house or head of college) is the head or senior member of a college within a collegiate university, principally in the United Kingdom. The actual title of the head of a college varies widely between i ...

, a female college head *

Mistress of the Robes The mistress of the robes was the senior lady in the Royal Household of the United Kingdom. Formerly responsible for the queen consort's/regnant's clothes and jewellery (as the name implies), the post had the responsibility for arranging the rota o ...

of the UK Royal Household * Female equivalent of

schoolmaster The word schoolmaster, or simply master, refers to a male school teacher. This usage survives in British independent schools, both secondary and preparatory, and a few Indian boarding schools (such as The Doon School) that were modelled after B ...

In ancient religions

Despoina In Greek mythology, Despoina or Despoena (; el, Δέσποινα, Déspoina) was the daughter of Demeter and Poseidon and sister of Arion. She was worshipped under the title ''Despoina'' ("the mistress") alongside her mother Demeter, one of t ...

, a Greek goddess referred to as "the mistress" *

Potnia Potnia is an Ancient Greek word for "Mistress, Lady" and a title of a goddess. The word was inherited by Classical Greek from Mycenean Greek with the same meaning and it was applied to several goddesses. A similar word is the title Despoina, ...

("mistress lady"), a title for a Greek goddess

In arts and entertainment

Mistress (band) Mistress were a British extreme metal band from Birmingham, England. The members of this five-piece band adopted pseudonyms as stage-names including: Drunken and Misery on guitars, Dirty Von Arse on bass, Dave Cunt on vocals and Migg on drums. ...

, a band from Birmingham, England * ''Mistress'', a band from Germany, fronted by

Angela Gossow Angela Nathalie Gossow (born 5 November 1974) is a German vocalist, best known as the former lead singer for the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. Her other previous bands include Asmodina and Mistress. Early life Angela Gossow was b ...

* ''Mistress'' (1992 film) * ''Mistress'' (1987 film) * ''Mistresses'' (British TV series) * ''Mistresses'' (American TV series) * ''Mistress'' (TV series) * "Mistress", a song by Disturbed from '' Believe'' * "Mistress", a song by Rebecca Ferguson from ''

Superwoman Superwoman is the name of several fictional characters from DC Comics. Most of them are, like Supergirl, women with powers similar to those of Superman, like flight, invulnerability, and enhanced strength. Detective Comics, Inc. trademarked the ...

'' * "Mistress", a song by Suede from '' The Blue Hour'' * ''Mistress'' (novel), by James Patterson, 2013 * Mistress Isabelle Brooks, American drag queen

Other uses

Dominatrix A dominatrix (; ) or femdom is a woman who takes the dominant role in BDSM activities. A dominatrix can be of any sexual orientation, but this does not necessarily limit the genders of her submissive partners. Dominatrices are known for inflic ...

, in BDSM

Romance and relationships

Title or form of address

In ancient religions

In arts and entertainment

Other uses

See also