Master has 21 different meanings across 4 categories:
Noun · Verb · Adjective · Proper Noun
directs the work of others
"The new manager was promoted to master and now directs the work of all junior designers."
presiding officer of a school
"The master greeted every student as they entered the gatehouse."
an original creation (i.e., an audio recording) from which copies can be made
"The studio engineer carefully cleaned the master before pressing thousands of vinyl records from it."
an officer who is licensed to command a merchant ship
"The master ordered the crew to secure all cargo before the storm hit."
someone who holds a master's degree from academic institution
"After years of research, she was finally awarded her master's degree and joined the university as a master."
an authority qualified to teach apprentices
"The master carpenter spent the afternoon teaching his three apprentices how to join wood without glue."
key that secures entrance everywhere
"The security guard used his master key to open every locked door in the building during the emergency inspection."
Prepended to a boy's name or surname as a (now somewhat formal) form of address.
"The master carried three sails on each mast to catch the strong winds."
Someone who has control over something or someone.
A vessel having a specified number of masts.
In plain English: A master is someone who has complete control over something, such as an expert with deep knowledge of a skill.
"He learned to play the guitar well enough to perform for friends and family."
Usage: Use master to refer to a person with authority, such as an expert in their field or the owner of a ship's crew. Avoid confusing this term for "mistress," which historically denoted a female companion but now primarily means someone who has sexual relations with another married person without being legally bound by marriage.
be or become completely proficient or skilled in
"She mastered Japanese in less than two years"
To be a master.
"After years of practice, he finally mastered the complex violin concerto."
Masterful.
"The masterful performance left the audience in awe."
One of the triune gods of the Horned God in Wicca alongside the Father and Sage and representing a boy or a young man
"In many Wiccan traditions, the Master represents the youthful aspect of the Horned God, balancing the older figures of the Father and the Sage."
The word "master" entered Middle English as a borrowing of an Old French form that originally meant chief or leader in Classical Latin. Its meaning shifted over time to refer specifically to someone who teaches or has authority, while also becoming associated with ownership and skill through the influence of related Germanic words like much and mickle.