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"master (expert)" in seven languages

Meaningmaster (expert)

Spanish

maestro

/maˈestɾo/

masc.inherited

Above all a primary-school teacher; a Master's degree is a máster.

French

maître

/mɛtʁ/

masc.inherited

Feminine maîtresse.

Italian

maestro

/maˈestro/

masc.inherited

Also a primary-school teacher.

Portuguese

mestre

/ˈmɛstɾi/

masc.inherited

Romanian

maestru

/maˈestru/

masc.borrowed · Italian maestro

Catalan

mestre

/ˈmɛstɾə/

masc.inherited

English

master

/ˈmæstɚ/

from Latin/French · Old English mægester and Old French maistre (Latin MAGISTRUM)

English → Italianmaster (expert)maestroCognateSame source — inherited, learned or borrowed. You can recognize it.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

MAGISTRUM (nom. MAGISTER)‘master, teacher (from MAGIS 'more')’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

MAGISTER was 'the greater one', as MINISTER was 'the lesser'. All three lost the g between vowels; French also lost the s, leaving the circumflex of maître.

English relatives: magistrate, mister, mistress

Sound laws at work

French loses S before a consonant (^)

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In a sentence

  • esEs un maestro en su oficio.
  • frC'est un maître dans son art.
  • itÈ un maestro nel suo mestiere.
  • ptEle é um mestre no seu ofício.
  • roEste un maestru în meseria lui.
  • caÉs un mestre en el seu ofici.
  • enHe is a master of his craft.

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