Housemistresses

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A female supervisor or teacher in charge of a boarding house in a school setting
2. An appointed woman responsible for the welfare and discipline of students residing in an educational institution
3. A mistress of a house, particularly in a school, overseeing the daily life and activities of students living under her care

Etymology: "Housemistresses" is the plural of "housemistress", a compound of "house" and "mistress". The two parts carry their ordinary senses: a house is a dwelling, and a mistress in the older sense was a woman in charge, such as the head of a household or an authority over others, a meaning that long predates its later romantic connotations. Put together, the compound names a woman who supervises a house, which in British schools and boarding establishments means a female member of staff in charge of a boarding house, looking after pupils' welfare and discipline. The plural simply adds the usual "-es" to "housemistress", since the singular ends in "-ss". Each form is built transparently from these two English words, so there is little more to unpack in its history.

Synonyms: matrons, housekeepers, overseers, supervisors, administrators