MS

Meanings

1. Abbreviation of manuscript.
2. Initialism of mint state, a grading term.
3. M/S: Initialism of motor ship.
4. Initialism of morphine sulfate.
5. Initialism of mitral stenosis.
6. Initialism of multiple sclerosis.
7. Initialism of Master of Science.
8. Initialism of middle school.
9. Initialism of mini-sheet.
10. Initialism of murder-suicide.
11. Initialism of medium shot.
12. Initialism of member of Senedd

1. Abbreviation of Mato Grosso do Sul: a state of Brazil.
2. Initialism of Microsoft: an American multinational technology company founded in 1975.
3. Abbreviation of Mississippi: a state of the United States.
4. Initialism of Morgan Stanley.

1. Title used before an adult woman's name or surname, especially when it is not desired or possible to indicate her marital status with Miss or Mrs.

1. plural of M

1. Abbreviation of mesyl.

1. Abbreviation of manuscript.

1. plural of m

Etymology

Found since the 1600s as an abbreviation of mistress (whence also Miss and Mrs), a title which initially did not indicate marital status. Suggestions that the term be revived began in 1901, and referenced the fact that dialects such as Southern US English already made no distinction between Miss and Mrs (/ˈmɪz/) in speech. With the founding of the magazine Ms. in 1971, the term quickly became widespread as an alternative to Miss and Mrs., which require knowing (and publicizing) the referent's marital status.