Ms vs Mrs vs Miss | Differences & Pronunciation

Ms., Mrs., and Miss are titles used to designate women in formal contexts, such as at the start of an email or when meeting someone for the first time. 

Traditionally, the correct term to use is based on the woman’s age and marital status. Today, the first consideration should be the individual’s own preference for how she should be addressed.

• Ms. (pronounced [miz]) can be used for any woman regardless of marital status.
• Mrs. (pronounced [miss-iz]) is used for a married woman regardless of age.
• Miss (pronounced [miss]) has traditionally been used for unmarried women of any age but is now more typically used only for girls under the age of 18.

Miss vs Ms.

Miss and Ms. are both titles for women, but they have a couple key differences. Ms. is not an abbreviation of Miss but is its own term, and it is pronounced with a z sound.

Miss, on the other hand, is never abbreviated and is used for girls (under 18) or unmarried women. It is pronounced with an s sound.

Both Miss and Ms. are used for unmarried women, but to decide which to use, first consider the preference of the addressee. If you don’t know the person’s preference, consider the following points:

• Miss is used for girls (up to age 18), whereas Ms. is used for adult women (over 18).
• Miss can also be used for unmarried women, but it should only be used for adult women if they have expressed a preference for that title.
• Ms. can be used for any unmarried woman, regardless of age.
• Ms. can also be used to refer to a married woman instead of Mrs.

How to use Ms.

Ms. is a term that was introduced in the 20th century to refer to a woman of unknown marital status. It can likewise be used when a woman’s marital status is irrelevant. A woman may also choose to be referred to as “Ms.” even if she is married.

“Ms.” has become popular in recent decades because it allows women to be addressed in a way that does not involve their marital status, much as all men are addressed as “Mr.” Today it continues to be used to refer to both married and unmarried women.

Like “Mrs.,” “Ms.” is capitalized and written with a period, but it is not an abbreviation of anything. Although it is pronounced with a z sound, it is never written as “Miz.” The plural form is “Mss.” (pronounced [miz-iz]), though this is not commonly used. Instead, “Ms.” is repeated before each person’s name.

How to use Mrs.

Mrs. is a title used for married women only. You can also use “Ms.” to refer to a married woman.

“Mrs.” is followed by a period because it is in fact an abbreviation of “mistress.” It is pronounced [miss-iz] and is always capitalized and written as “Mrs.” (never mistress). The plural is Mmes., which is an abbreviation of the French term “Mesdames.” This form is typically only seen in historical documents. Nowadays, the title is simply repeated when referring to multiple people.

How to use Miss

Miss can be used for an unmarried woman but is currently more commonly used only for children. Many women prefer to be addressed as “Ms.” rather than “Miss,” so when in doubt opt for “Ms.” for adult women.

“Miss” is always written out rather than abbreviated and is pronounced [miss]. It is capitalized when it is paired with a name, but it is lowercase when it is used on its own, just like “sir” or “ma’am.” The plural is Misses.

Unlike “Ms.” and “Mrs.”, “Miss” is frequently used with a first name only.

What does Mx. mean?

Mx. is a gender-neutral title that can be used to refer to someone who doesn’t identify as male or female or who doesn’t want to have their gender specified.

Mx. is usually used in writing and is always capitalized. It can be pronounced [mux] or [mix]. It is not an abbreviation of anything.

Punctuation with Ms., Mrs., Miss, and Mx.

Many—though not all—titles are abbreviations for longer words. The way these abbreviations are written differs between British and American English.

• In American English, periods are used after a title: Ms., Mx., Mrs., Dr.
• In British English, there are no periods after titles: Ms, Mx, Mrs, Dr

“Miss” is always written in full and therefore never needs to be followed by a period.

Frequently asked questions about Ms. vs Mrs. vs Miss

What’s the difference between Miss and Ms.?

“Miss” is a title used for a young unmarried woman or girl (e.g, “Miss Muffet”). It is not used for a married woman. “Miss” is often considered dated, so it is preferable to use “Ms.”

“Mrs.” is a title used for a married woman.

“Ms.” is a title for woman who is married or whose marital status is unknown, for an older unmarried woman, or for situations where marital status is not emphasized. It can be used both for married and unmarried women in the same way that “Mr.” is used for unmarried and married men. Nowadays, “Ms.” is the most common way to address a woman, as it is unrelated to marital status.

What does “Mx.” stand for?

Mx. is a gender-neutral title that can be used for people who do not identify as male or female or do not want to have their gender specified. It is used in the same way as titles like “Ms.” or “Mr.” (e.g., “Mx. Nande”).

“Mx.” is followed by a period to match the form of other titles, but it is not an abbreviation of anything. The x is used like a statistical value to indicate that the person’s gender is unspecified.

What does “Ms.” stand for?

Ms. is a title used for any adult woman (e.g., “Ms. Genji”). Unlike “Miss” or “Mrs.,” “Ms.” does not indicate a woman’s marital status and is therefore the female equivalent of the masculine title “Mr.”

“Ms.” is not an abbreviation for anything, and it does not stand for “Miss.” It is pronounced [miz], but it is always written as “Ms.”