different between headmaster vs schoolmaster

English

Etymology

head +? master.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?h?d?mæst?/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?h?d?m??st?/
• Rhymes: -æst?(?), -??st?(?)
• Hyphenation: head?mas?ter

Noun

headmaster (plural headmasters, feminine headmistress)

1. (chiefly Britain) A male school principal.

Usage notes

The term is gender-specific, and refers to a male in the position. A female in the same role would be called a headmistress. In the United States, the shortened version of 'master' was used in some universities to refer to the faculty leader of a residential space regardless of gender.

Synonyms

• headteacher (UK, gender-neutral)
• principal (US, gender-neutral)

Translations

Anagrams

• headstream

English

Alternative forms

• scholemaster (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English skolemayster, scolemaister, scol-meister, equivalent to school +? master.

Pronunciation

Noun

schoolmaster (plural schoolmasters)

1. A male teacher.
2. Male teacher in charge of a school, usually a small one.
3. Anything that teaches.

   The war was a tough schoolmaster for the Athenians.

Derived terms

• schoolmasterish
• schoolmasterly

Related terms

• schoolmistress
• headmaster / headmistress

Translations

Verb

schoolmaster (third-person singular simple present schoolmasters, present participle schoolmastering, simple past and past participle schoolmastered)

1. To teach in the capacity of schoolmaster.