Key Difference: The title Miss is derived from the word Mistress and is used to refer to a female that is a young adult or an adult that is not married. Ms. is an honorary title that is used to refer to a woman regardless of her marital status.

Trying to get someone’s attention when you don’t know their name can be frustrating, what do you call them Mr., Ms., Mrs. etc. Well, Miss and Ms. are two titles that can be used to refer to a woman. Though these two may sound familiar and seem similar, they are different from each other and should not be interchanged.

The title Miss is derived from the word Mistress and is used to refer to a female that is a young adult or an adult that is not married. The term originated in the 17^th century and was used for all unmarried woman. In some countries, Miss is used to refer to girls that are under 18, after which Ms. is used to address them. Previously, Miss was also used as business title or a title of position such as Miss World, Miss Universe, etc. In some countries such as India, Miss can also be used to refer to a teacher. The usage of the word Miss is on a constant decrease, though some people still prefer this word to address a young lady.

Ms. is an honorary title that is used to refer to a woman regardless of her marital status. This title was originally formed in the 17th century, but rose in the 20^th century, when women started becoming empowered and created their stance in the business world. The title was created to be similar to a Mr. or Sir, which is used regardless that a man is married or unmarried. This was done in order to promote women’s equality. Ms. is a title that is commonly used by women in the business field.

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