Ms

Ms.

[[t]mɪz[/t]] pl. Mses. [[t]ˈmɪz əz[/t]]

1) a title of respect prefixed to a woman's name: unlike Miss or Mrs., it does not depend upon or indicate her marital status

2) cvb a title prefixed to a mock surname that is used to represent possession of a particular attribute, identity, etc.:

Ms. Cooperation[/ex]

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usage: Ms . came into use in the 1940s. In the early 1970s the women's movement adopted and encouraged the use of Ms . on the grounds that since a man's marital status is not revealed by Mr. , a woman's status should not be revealed by her title. Since then Ms . has gained wide currency, esp. in business and professional spheres. pron: The pronunciation of Ms (miz) is identical with one standard South Midland and Southern U.S. pronunciation of Mrs.