Mrs. (pronounced “missus”) is a title placed before a woman's surname or full name to show respect, traditionally used for women who are or have been married. When you address your friend's mother formally, you might call her Mrs. Johnson rather than using her first name. In a letter, you would write “Dear Mrs. Rodriguez” as a polite greeting.

Over time, English developed different titles to distinguish between unmarried women (Miss) and married women (Mrs.), though many women today prefer Ms., which doesn't indicate marital status.

You'll see Mrs. used in formal situations: on wedding invitations, in business correspondence, at school when addressing teachers, or in any context where politeness and respect matter. Some married women choose to keep using their original surname, use Ms., or hyphenate their surnames. The choice of title belongs to each woman, and the respectful approach is to use whatever title she prefers.