Ms. (pronounced “miz”) is a title used before a woman's name, like Mr. is used before a man's name. When you address a letter to Ms. Rodriguez or introduce Ms. Chen at a meeting, you're showing respect without indicating whether she's married.

Before Ms. became common in the 1970s, women were typically called Miss if unmarried or Mrs. if married. This created an awkward situation: a woman's title revealed her marital status, while a man's title (Mr.) did not. Many women pointed out this inequality and advocated for a single respectful title that would work for all women, regardless of whether they were married.

Today, Ms. is a common professional title. Your teachers at school might be Ms. Jackson or Ms. Patel. A businesswoman introducing herself might say, “I'm Ms. Williams from the accounting department.” Some women still prefer Miss or Mrs., and that's fine, but when you're unsure which title someone prefers, Ms. is often the safest and most respectful choice.