Miss

Noun

1. A form of address, now used chiefly for an unmarried woman; used chiefly of girls before the mid-1700s, and thereafter used also of adult women without regard to marital status.
   • Mrs. Gardiner would be happy to see Miss March and Miss Josephine at a little dance on New-Year's-Eve. - 1869, Louisa May Alcott, Little Women:

   1. With a surname.

      • These are the two young ladies that I wanted you to meet, Miss Jones and Miss Robinson.

   2. With a full name.

      • The victim was named as Miss Jane Doe.

   3. (dated or regional) With a first name only.

      • Excuse me Ma'am, will Miss Julia and Miss Emily be staying for tea?
      • She was so mad she wouldn't speak to me for quite a spell, but at last I coaxed her into going up to Miss Emmeline's room and fetching down a tintype of the missing Deacon man. - 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter...

   4. (dated) Used alone.

      • Good morning, Miss. May I help you?
2. A form of address for a female teacher or a waitress.
   • Excuse me, Miss, Donny's been pinching my pencils again.
3. Used in title of the (female) winner of a beauty contest, or certain other types of contest, prefixing the country or other region that she represents, or the category of contest.
   • Ladies and gentlemen, please give a round of applause to our lovely new Miss Yorkshire!
   • And I can now announce that this year's Miss Personality is ... Doris Miggins!
4. Used in a mock title to point out some quality, or alleged quality, of a girl or woman.
   • Don't ask me, ask Miss know-it-all over there.