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and was originally a title given primarily to children rather than adults. During the 1700s, its usage broadened to encompass adult women. The title emerged as a polite way to address women, reflecting changing societal norms and class distinctions. Prior to this, referring to an adult woman as a
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case in which the court held that Mary
Hamilton was entitled to the same courteous forms of address customarily reserved solely for whites in the southern United States and that calling a Black person by her or his first name in a formal context was "a form of racial discrimination."
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underwent transformations over time. Historically, these titles did not solely indicate marital status. Even after the adoption of
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continued to signify social or business standing, rather than merely marital status, until at least the mid-19th century.
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This article is about the honorific for unmarried women. For the honorific for women regardless of marital status, see
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Being addressed with "Miss" or "Mrs." was frequently denied to Black women in the
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425:"Hamilton v. Alabama, 376 US 650 – Supreme Court 1964 – Google Scholar"
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Barron's How to
Prepare for the LSAT, Law School Admission Test
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260:"Messrs., Mmes. and Mses.: Quick Guide to Meaning & Use"
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by many adult single women in 18th-century
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82:(when not using another title such as "
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359:. April 10, 1964. Archived from
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16:Honorific for an unmarried woman
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152:Evolution of meanings and usage
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192:protester arrested in 1963 in
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258:Gormandy White, Mary (2020).
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320:Lawless, Joseph F. (2008).
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204:United States Supreme Court
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35:Misses (disambiguation)
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264:www.yourdictionary.com
182:Southern United States
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617:Women's social titles
176:Racial discrimination
156:The meanings of both
74:typically used for a
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536:Masculine
269:14 August
72:honorific
512:Mistress
492:Goodwife
485:Feminine
429:Archived
409:July 13,
403:Archived
367:July 13,
217:Fräulein
211:See also
141:Mistress
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67:) is an
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553:Esquire
543:Goodman
121:Origins
116:History
558:Master
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226:Fröken
106:Misses
86:" or "
84:Doctor
517:Madam
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527:Lady
522:Dame
502:Miss
411:2013
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230:Miss
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