Compare the Difference Between Similar Terms

Difference Between Mrs and Ms

Mrs vs Ms
 

Since Mrs and Ms are two titles that are often confused due to some sort of similarity in their usages, it is very practical to know the difference between Mrs and Ms. Actually the difference between Mrs and Ms is confusing to some people. First of all, one should remember that Mrs and Ms are two ways of addressing women. They are the equivalent of Mr for men. This can be a little confusing to some because for men whether they are married or not, divorced or not, only Mr is used. However, as you can see for women several such terms of address exist. Mrs and Ms are two such terms.

What does Ms mean?

Ms is normally used to refer to women who do not wish to say whether they are married or not. The practice of addressing such women is quite popular in the United States of America and it is interesting to note that it is slowly becoming popular in the Great Britain too. A woman who divorced her husband also is addressed with the title of Ms. In other words, any woman who is presently unmarried can be addressed with the title of Ms. A spinster too can be addressed by using the title Ms.  Any woman who is in the threshold of adulthood can be addressed with the title of Ms. In other words, it can be said that a grown-up girl can be addressed by using Ms.

What does Mrs mean?

On the other hand, Mrs is used to address a woman who is married. Mrs is used in combination with the husband’s name to refer to the wife as for example Mrs. Francis. Sometimes Mrs is used as a direct title for a woman as for example Mrs. Julie. The purpose behind the usage of Mrs differs from region to region. In some countries, even unmarried women are addressed with the title Mrs. In many countries married women alone are addressed with the title of Mrs.

What is the difference between Mrs and Ms?

• Ms is normally used to refer to women who do not wish to say whether they are married or not. On the other hand, Mrs is used to address a woman who is married.

• A woman who divorced her husband also is addressed with the title of Ms. In other words, any woman who is presently unmarried can be addressed with the title of Ms.

• The usages of Mrs and Ms are interchanged in many places although they should not be. In some cases, elderly woman or a matron is addressed by using the title Mrs.

• Any woman who is in the threshold of adulthood can be addressed with the title of Ms. In other words, it can be said that a grown-up girl can be addressed by using Ms.

These are some of the rules to be followed when it comes to the usage of the titles Mrs and Ms. Of course, the usage is very important as far as a communicative language is concerned.

Images Courtesy:

  1. Mr Right or Mrs always Right by Stoff Schmiede (CC BY 2.0)