What does MRS stand for? Written as Mrs., it is the shortened form of mistress, an old English title for the woman in charge of a household. Today it is a courtesy title placed before the last name of a married woman, as in Mrs. Alvarez, and people say it "MISS-iz."
The long word is almost never written out anymore, and in modern English "mistress" has taken on other meanings. So Mrs. now lives on as a title in its own right. You see it on letters, wedding invitations, school sign ups, forms with a title drop down and classroom doors.
Quick facts
Short for
Mistress, the historical titleUsed for
A married woman, and often a widowHow to say it
MISS-iz or MIZ-izPeriod or no period
Mrs. in American English; Mrs in British EnglishPlural
Mmes., short for MesdamesRelated titles
Mr., Ms., Miss, Mx., Dr.Not to be confused with
Ms., which does not show marital status
What does MRS stand for, and where did it come from?
Centuries ago, "master" and "mistress" were respectful titles for the man and woman who ran a home or business. Over time both were shortened in writing: master became Mr. and mistress became Mrs. The spoken forms changed too, so Mr. is said "mister" and Mrs. is said "missus."
The title was once used more loosely for grown women of standing, but it gradually settled on married women. Miss came from the same root and went to girls and unmarried women. Because the letters come from inside one word rather than from the initials of a phrase, Mrs. is an abbreviation, not an acronym. That line is drawn clearly on the acronym vs abbreviation page.
Mrs. vs Ms. vs Miss
| Title | Said | Usually means |
|---|---|---|
| Mrs. | MISS-iz | A married woman |
| Ms. | MIZ | A woman, with marital status not stated |
| Miss | MISS | A girl or an unmarried woman |
| Mx. | MIX | A title that does not point to gender |
When you do not know which a woman prefers, Ms. is the safe default in business writing. Some women keep Mrs. after marriage because they like it; others choose Ms. either way. A professional title such as Dr. or Prof. usually replaces all of these.
How to write the Mrs abbreviation
- Capital M, lowercase rs. Write Mrs., not MRS. or mrs., except in an all caps heading.
- Period in the US. American style puts a period after it. British style often drops the period because the last letter of the word is kept.
- Before a last name. Mrs. Chen or Mrs. Ana Chen. It does not go before a first name alone in standard writing, though in parts of the South children often say "Miss Ana" to a trusted adult.
- Plural. The formal plural is Mmes., from the French Mesdames, as in "Mmes. Ortiz and Park." Most people simply repeat the title instead.
On a form: "Title: Mr. / Mrs. / Ms. / Mx. / Dr." Picking Mrs. here only sets how mail and greetings will address you. It does not change your legal name.
Using Mrs. in real sentences
- "Mrs. Patel teaches third grade in room 12."
- "Dear Mrs. Romero, thank you for your quick reply."
- "Mr. and Mrs. Diaz request the pleasure of your company."
- "Please ask Mrs. Kim to sign the permission slip."
- "She signs her letters as Mrs. Lena Brooks."
A very formal, older style names a wife by her husband's full name, as in "Mrs. David Brooks." It still appears on some wedding invitations, but many people now prefer the woman's own first name.
What MRS stands for when it is not a title
When the letters show up in capitals without a period, they may have nothing to do with titles. In medicine, MRS can mean magnetic resonance spectroscopy, a scan related to MRI that measures chemicals in tissue. Some companies use MRS for internal systems or reports. There is also an old joke about a college student earning an "MRS degree," meaning someone who went to college to find a spouse. Context usually makes the meaning obvious. For more short forms like this one, see the common abbreviations list, or compare the French title on the mademoiselle abbreviation page.
Questions people ask
What does Mrs. stand for in full?
It is short for mistress, the old title for the woman who ran a household. The full word is not used as a title anymore, so Mrs. stands on its own.
How do you pronounce Mrs.?
Say MISS-iz, or in some regions MIZ-iz. Never read it letter by letter.
Can a divorced woman use Mrs.?
Yes, many do, especially if they keep their married last name. Others switch to Ms. It is a personal choice, and following the person's preference is the polite move.
Does Mrs. take a period?
American writers add one: Mrs. British writers usually leave it off.
Is Mrs an acronym?
Not really. Mrs. is an abbreviation built from letters inside the word mistress, and people say it as a word rather than spelling out M R S.