miss Italian · revision 38981

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing, clipping|attested=1764|origins=la magistra}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''miss''' ''f'' (invariable, English plural ''misses'')^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|en|miss|t=young lady]], short for [[m|en|mistress|t=lady]], from [[fro|maistresse|t=mistress; teacher]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) The Old French word comes from [[la|magistra|t=female teacher]], with the feminine suffix strengthened to ⟨-esse⟩.^(Devoto 1968) Battisti and Alessio think it reached Italian through [[fr|miss]], recorded in French in 1713 but common only in the 19th century.^(DEI|2476) It is related to [[mister]], from the same source.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Zingarelli dates the word to 1764, Sabatini and Coletti to the 18th century, and Nocentini and Devoto–Oli to 1880.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) In the first sense, an English title for an unmarried woman, Milan newspapers knew it by 1901.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Italy the title was used mainly for women from English-speaking countries, and loosely for an English governess or tutor;^(GDLI|10)^(GRADIT 2003) Panzini objected that in English it goes only before a name.^(GDLI|10)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ The sense “winner of a beauty contest” came from America: Battisti and Alessio date it to 1927, and DELI cites ''miss Germania'' in the ''Domenica del Corriere'' of 1929.^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|2476) ''Miss Italia'' and similar titles followed, and in journalism the word names any woman singled out for a quality, often ironically.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1713 – French ''miss'' is recorded.^(DEI|2476)

+ * 1764 – The word is first recorded in Italian.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ * 1880 – Nocentini and Devoto–Oli date the title to this year.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ * 1927 – ''Miss'' is used for the winner of a beauty contest.^(DEI|2476)

+ * 1929 – The ''Domenica del Corriere'' writes ''miss Germania''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|miss|alt=Miss]], the English title for an unmarried woman, used before her name.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(uncommon)'' An English [[m|en|governess]] or tutor.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # The winner of a [[m|en|beauty contest]]: ''È stata eletta miss della sua provincia.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(journalism)'' A woman singled out for some quality, often ironically: ''miss simpatia''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mister]]

+ * [[maestra]]

+ * [[en|miss]]

+ * [[en|mistress]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Miss Italia'', ''miss Universo'' and ''miss mondo'' are the names of beauty titles.^(Treccani 2011)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}