Ms vs Miss vs Mrs
Published January 24, 2023. Updated January 24, 2023.
Ms., Miss, and Mrs. all sound similar, but they have different meanings and uses. Ms. is a title preceding a woman’s name who is unmarried or whose marital status is unknown or unimportant. Miss is a title preceding the name of an unmarried girl or woman. Mrs. is a title preceding a married woman’s surname. Ms. and Miss are pronounced the same (miss), whereas Mrs. has two syllables (miss-es)
Here are some definitions and examples to help make the use of these words clearer.
Ms. (noun)
Title preceding a woman’s name who is unmarried or whose marital status is unknown or unimportant.
Examples:
The kids called their babysitter Ms. Jessica.
Ms. Smith watered her shrubs every morning.
In both examples, Ms. comes prior to a girl or woman’s name who is either unmarried or whose marital status is unknown or unimportant. Notice how Ms. can be used with a first or last name. Note that in Britain, Ms does not have a period.
Miss (noun)
A title preceding the name of an unmarried girl or woman.
Examples:
I saw Miss Amy at the store.
Paper or plastic, miss?
In the first example, Miss is attached to a name as a title indicating Amy is a young, unmarried girl or woman. In the second example, miss is not used as a title but rather as a general term to address a young woman. Miss can be used before a first of last name. It is not conventional to call an older woman miss. Ma’am, short for madame, is the more common term.
Mrs. (noun)
Title preceding a married woman’s surname.
Examples:
Mrs. Jones was known as a strict teacher.
The bride-to-be was excited to become Mrs. Dillard.
In both examples, Mrs. precedes a married woman’s last name. It is not conventional to use Mrs. with a first name (i.e., Mrs. Jenna). Note that in Britain, Mrs does not have a period.
Main Points
- is a title preceding a woman’s name who is unmarried or whose marital status is unknown or unimportant.
- Miss is a title preceding the name of an unmarried girl or woman.
- is a title preceding a married woman’s surname.
- Ms. and Miss are pronounced the same (miss), whereas Mrs. has two syllables (miss-es).