mrs.
gb/mˈɪsɪz/ us/mˈɪsɪz/
A1
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
formal
A1
role
1
title for a married woman
A title for a married woman, used before her name.
Usage pattern:
Mrs. + [surname] / Mrs. + [full name]
Common mistake:
In American English it is usually written with a period (Mrs.), while British English often writes it without one (Mrs). Also, Mrs. is not used for men (use Mr.).
Synonyms
Ms. (A neutral title that does not indicate marital status.)
Antonyms
Mr. (Title used for a man.)
Collocations
Mrs. Smith
|Mrs. Jones
|Mrs. Brown
|Mrs. Johnson
|Mrs. Taylor
|Mrs. + surname
Themes
people
|names_and_titles
|relationships
Examples
- Mrs. Patel will see you now.
- I spoke to Mrs. Williams on the phone this morning.
- Please address the letter to Mrs. Chen.
Learner examples
- Mrs. Green is my neighbor.
- This is Mrs. Lee.
Noun
formal
A2
role
2
polite address to a woman
A polite way to speak to a woman, sometimes without her name.
Usage pattern:
Excuse me, Mrs. / Yes, Mrs.
Common mistake:
Do not use Mrs. as a general polite term for any woman if you do not know what title she prefers; in many contexts, ma’am (AmE) or Ms. + surname may be more appropriate.
Synonyms
ma'am (Polite address to a woman without using a name; common in American English.)
Antonyms
sir (Polite address to a man.)
Collocations
Excuse me, Mrs.
|Yes, Mrs.
|Sorry, Mrs.
|Mrs., I have a question
Themes
communication
|politeness
|education
Examples
- Excuse me, Mrs., could you help me with this problem?
- Yes, Mrs., I’ll hand in my homework now.
- Sorry, Mrs., I didn’t hear you.
Learner examples
- Yes, Mrs.
- Excuse me, Mrs.
Grammar
Expressions
mr. and mrs. [surname]
1/mˈɪstɚ ˈænd mˈɪsɪz sˈɚnˌeɪm/
fixed phrase
formal
a married couple together
“Mr. and Mrs. + last name” means a married couple.
Examples
- The invitation was addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Garcia.
- Please welcome Mr. and Mrs. Patel to the stage.
- We sent a thank-you card to Mr. and Mrs. Thompson.
mr. and mrs. [surname]
1/mˈɪstɚ ˈænd mˈɪsɪz sˈɚnˌeɪm/
fixed phrase
formal
a married couple’s name
A way to talk about a husband and wife together.
Examples
- The invitation was addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Garcia.
- We had dinner with Mr. and Mrs. Thompson last night.
- Please welcome Mr. and Mrs. Ahmed to the stage.
the mrs.
1/ðə mˈɪsɪz/
fixed phrase
informal
someone’s wife (informal)
An informal way to say “my wife.”
Examples
- I’ll check with the Mrs. and let you know.
- The Mrs. wants us home by eight.
- I’m taking the Mrs. out for dinner tonight.