mister
UK[ˈmɪstə]US[ˈmɪstər]
n
A title used before a man's name or surname, without a higher or professional title.
n
(informal) Used as a form of address to a man whose name one does not know.
Etymology
The word 'mister' is a weakened phonetic variant of the word 'master', which itself originates from the Old English 'mægester', borrowed from Latin 'magister' meaning "chief, head, teacher, director." The Latin term is derived from the root 'mag-' (Proto-Indo-European for "to be able, have power"), with the comparative suffix '-teros'. The evolution from 'master' to 'mister' reflects a process of linguistic leveling in the 16th century, where the unstressed vowel reduced and the 'a' shifted to 'i'. Originally denoting authority or control, 'mister' became fossilized as a polite title for adult men, completely shedding its connotation of mastery or social superiority and becoming a neutral term of address.
Analysis
The word is a simplex form. It is a direct phonetic reduction of the word 'master', retaining its spelling and function as a title.
Examples
Excuse me, mister, do you know what time it is?
The letter was addressed to Mister John Smith.
Hey mister, you dropped your wallet.