ms.

IPA/ˌɛmˈɛs/

KK[mˈɪz]IPA/mˈɪz/

1.nounA2

Definition

a respectful title placed before a woman's last name or complete name when her marital status is not being stated

Example

Please ask Ms. Emma Lin to sign the parcel before lunch today.

Ms. + full name in a polite request

At the conference, Ms. Soraya Malik introduced the final speaker from Seoul.

formal introduction with Ms. + full name

Common collocations

Ms. + family name
Ms. + full name
dear Ms. ...
call someone Ms. ...

Synonyms

Mrs.
traditional title that usually shows the woman is married
Miss
more traditional title, often linked to an unmarried or younger woman
Mx.
gender-neutral title for someone who does not want a specifically female or male title

Grammar Patterns

Ms. + family name

Ms. + full name

Usage Note

Placed before a family name or full name in letters, lists, and introductions. Unlike Mrs. or Miss, it does not show whether the woman is married.

Common Mistakes

I met Ms. Emma at the bank.

I met Emma at the bank.

Ms. is normally used before a family name or a full name, not a first name by itself.

1.abbreviationB2

Definition

a written short form for 'manuscript', especially on pages, folders, or editorial notes before something is printed

Example

Please email the finished ms. to the journal by Friday afternoon.

submit a ms. in publishing context

The editor marked the first ms. with notes in the margin.

the + ms. for a specific document

Common collocations

submit a ms.
edit the ms.
the first ms.
original ms.

Synonyms

manuscript
the full form used in ordinary writing and speech
draft
broader term for a working version, not always a full manuscript

Grammar Patterns

the + ms.

submit a ms.

Usage Note

Mostly found in editing, publishing, and library notes. In ordinary speech or full prose, writers usually say manuscript instead of reading out ms.

Common Mistakes

Please send me ms. by Friday.

Please send me the ms. by Friday.

This abbreviation is usually treated as a countable document and often takes an article.

2.abbreviationC1

Definition

a written short form for 'multiple sclerosis', a disease that damages the nervous system over time

Example

The clinic letter said the weakness was consistent with ms.

consistent with ms. in a medical note

On the chart, the doctor wrote ms. beside the final diagnosis.

chart notation using ms.

Common collocations

diagnosed with ms.
living with ms.
signs of ms.
ms. diagnosis

Synonyms

multiple sclerosis
the full disease name used in explanation and formal diagnosis

Grammar Patterns

diagnosis: ms.

live with ms.

Usage Note

Mostly found on charts, reports, and support materials. In normal conversation, speakers usually say multiple sclerosis rather than the abbreviation.

Common Mistakes

The chart says muscle sickness, or ms.

The chart says multiple sclerosis, or ms.

ms. names this specific disease, not any general muscle problem.

3.abbreviationB2

Definition

a written short form for 'Master of Science', a postgraduate degree in a science or technical subject

Example

Matthew's resume shows an ms. in chemistry from National Taiwan University.

an ms. in + subject

Heloisa applied for an ms. program in data science last winter.

ms. program in academic context

Common collocations

an ms. in chemistry
earn an ms.
ms. program
hold an ms.

Synonyms

Master of Science
the full formal name of the degree
MSc
common British English written form for the same qualification

Grammar Patterns

an ms. in + subject

earn an ms.

Usage Note

Common on resumes, application forms, and university program names. British English often uses MSc for the same degree.

Common Mistakes

She earned a ms. degree in biology.

She earned an ms. in biology.

The abbreviation already includes the idea of the degree.

4.abbreviationB1

Definition

a written short form for the US state of Mississippi, mainly in addresses and official location lists

Example

The package label ended with Jackson, ms. 39201 near the barcode.

city, ms. + ZIP code in an address

Kevin typed Gulfport, ms. on the final line of the address.

city + ms. on address line

Common collocations

Jackson, ms.
Biloxi, ms.
ms. address
city names in ms.

Synonyms

Mississippi
the full state name used in normal writing

Grammar Patterns

city, ms. + ZIP code

city + ms. in address

Usage Note

Used mainly in postal addresses, tables, and database fields. In normal running text, writers usually spell out Mississippi.

Common Mistakes

I drove across ms. last summer.

I drove across Mississippi last summer.

This abbreviation is mainly for addresses and coded location fields, not ordinary prose.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Ms., Miss, Mrs., and Mx. are all titles placed before a name, but they signal different things. Ms. is the most neutral choice because it does not show whether a woman is married, so it is widely used in letters, forms, business settings, and introductions when marital status is unknown or irrelevant. Miss often suggests a younger or unmarried woman and can sound more traditional. Mrs. normally marks a married woman and is often followed by a family name. Mx. is a newer gender-neutral title for people who do not want a specifically female or male title. For example, a school email may say 'Ms. Emma Lin', while a form may ask whether someone prefers Ms., Mrs., Miss, or Mx.

Ms. ↗Miss ↗Mrs. ↗Mx.

Etymology

EnglishAmerican English

Ms. became established in English as a title for a woman that does not reveal marital status, developing alongside the older titles Miss and Mrs. It spread widely in American English during the 20th century, especially in business and official writing. The same written form is also used for several unrelated abbreviations, including manuscript, multiple sclerosis, Master of Science, and the postal code for Mississippi. Because of that, modern ms. is not one single historical line, but a group of short forms that happen to share the same letters and punctuation.

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ms.

ms. — noun

1. a respectful title placed before a woman's last name or complete name when her m

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

ms. — abbreviation

1. a written short form for 'manuscript', especially on pages, folders, or editoria

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. a written short form for 'multiple sclerosis', a disease that damages the nervou

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

3. a written short form for 'Master of Science', a postgraduate degree in a science

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

4. a written short form for the US state of Mississippi, mainly in addresses and of

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

Synonym discussion

Etymology

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