noun
plural -tresses
[count] a woman who has control or power over others: such as
a woman who has a servant or slave
a woman who owns a pet (such as a dog)
c formal :the female head of a household
a woman who has control of something
a woman who has a sexual relationship with a married man
a chiefly Brit old-fashioned :a female teacher :schoolmistress - see also headmistress
b Mistress - used as a title for the female head of certain British colleges
Mistress old-fashioned - used as a title before the name of a woman
US