head-mistress

The head-mistress greets students at the school entrance.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Female head of a school: "head-mistress" refers to a woman who is the principal or leading administrator of a school, particularly a private or independent school.

Usage Examples

• (The female principal gave a speech to the school.)
• (She became the leading administrator of the school.)

Advanced Usage

• "to report to the head-mistress": to be accountable to the female head of the school.

  • The teacher had to report to the head-mistress about the student's progress. (The teacher informed the principal about the student's development.)

• "head-mistress's office": the official room or workspace of the female principal.

  • The student was called to the head-mistress's office for a discussion. (The student was summoned to the principal's private room.)

Variants and Related Words

• Headmaster (n): the male equivalent of a head-mistress, the male principal of a school.

  • The headmaster retired after thirty years of service. (The male principal ended his career.)

• Headteacher (n): a gender-neutral term for the leading administrator of a school, used especially in UK English.

  • The headteacher announced the new school policy. (The principal made an announcement.)

Synonyms

• Principal: the person with the highest authority in a school.
• Director: a person who manages or oversees an institution, sometimes used for schools.
• Head: a short form for headteacher or head-mistress.

Related Idioms

• To be the head-mistress's pet: to be a student who is especially favoured by the female principal.
  • She was always the head-mistress's pet, which made other students jealous. (She was the principal's favourite student.)

Note: The term "head-mistress" is less common in modern usage, where "headteacher" or "principal" is preferred for gender neutrality. It is still used in some private or traditional schools.