# mas

/ˈmɑz/ (US) · /mˈæs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mas
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. French farmhouse

noun · CEFR B2

a traditional stone farmhouse or country cottage found in southern France.

For teachers: a traditional farmhouse or country estate typical of Provence and other Occitan-speaking regions of southern France.

- They spent their summer holiday at a beautiful stone mas in the French countryside.
- The architect specialised in the sensitive restoration of eighteenth-century Provencal mas, preserving the original stonework while modernising the interior.

### 2. Caribbean carnival

noun · CEFR C1 · Dialect

a type of costumed parade or street performance during Carnival in the Caribbean.

For teachers: a traditional masquerade or street performance central to Caribbean Carnival, particularly in Trinidad and Tobago.

- The streets were full of music and colour as the performers began to play mas.
- The festival reaches its peak on Tuesday when thousands of revellers take to the streets to play mas in elaborate, hand-crafted costumes.

### 4. historical title

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Dialect

an old-fashioned way to say 'Master' when showing respect to someone.

For teachers: a historical or dialectal contraction of 'Master', formerly used as a title of respect or for a person of authority.

- In the old story, the servant always addressed his employer as Mas John.
- The archival documents refer to the local magistrate as Mas Williams, reflecting the social hierarchy of the period.

## Examples

- The mas taught Latin to the boys every morning.
- In the old school, the mas was a strict figure whom all the students respected and feared.
- The novel portrays the mas not merely as an educator, but as a paternal authority whose moral guidance shaped the characters' entire worldview.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.