Ms. is a title used generally with the last name of a woman; it is pronounced as /mɪz/ or as /məz/ and is believed to have originated in the United States. It is used while referring to a person in the third person and not as a direct address for which the title madam or ma'am is more often used.
The title is used often in business and corporate environments where women are referred to as Ms or Madam, as men are addressed as Mr. or Sir, without referring to the marital status of the person addressed to. The term was earlier seen as to have originated from feminist movements though it was used as far back as the 18th century in the US especially in the southern parts of the country. The plural of Ms. is considered to be the French term Mesdames to address a group of women.
The title is used often in business and corporate environments where women are referred to as Ms or Madam, as men are addressed as Mr. or Sir, without referring to the marital status of the person addressed to. The term was earlier seen as to have originated from feminist movements though it was used as far back as the 18th century in the US especially in the southern parts of the country. The plural of Ms. is considered to be the French term Mesdames to address a group of women.
