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I know that Mr. is short for Mister and Mrs. is short for Mistress. Is there any comparable way to abbreviate "Master" that is distinguishable from Mister? Or would it just be Mr. again?

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    "Ms" is not short for "Miss". "Ms" is used to indicate *either "Miss" or "Mrs" or a female of unspecified status.
    – TrevorD
    Apr 21, 2016 at 0:16
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    Do you mean "Master" as referring to a young boy, or referring to a title such as "Master of Arts". The former usage is not now common in BrE, and I can't remember how it was abbreviated when I was that age (too long ago!). I suggest writing it in full.
    – TrevorD
    Apr 21, 2016 at 0:19
  • @Mari-Lou I should think he would like to address the young man with a bit of respect in a formal latter.
    – sas08
    May 6, 2019 at 5:58
  • @Mari-Lou I can only assume you didn't read formal letter. And I would guess by your user name you have less experience being addressed as a young man than I have. I got literally hundreds of letters with this mode of address. Mr. is obviously inappropriate. What would you put there if you were attempting to show manners as you might towards a young lady?
    – sas08
    Aug 6, 2019 at 19:11
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    @Mari-LouA There are still literally hundreds of open listings for headmaster jobs if you do a google jobs search right now in my region. Where are you getting your information?
    – sas08
    Aug 7, 2019 at 19:47

3 Answers 3

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Some airlines' tickets/boarding-passes use MSTR, e.g. from this travel website ...

MISS = Girl under 12 years,
MSTR = Boy under 12years,
INF = Under 2 years.
Please advise in special request, if you have flexible date

EDIT:
At one time at least, according to Wikipedia:

"Mstr" is [...] a prefix for boys on the UK Passport Service online application form. — Wikipedia

... however when I checked the UK website today, its current online form has a selection option with Master rather than Mstr! Note: the title does not appear on actual passport document, to avoid confusion I guess!

Update 13/Nov/2019: See https://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/149483/why-do-airline-tickets-have-titles-in-addition-to-names/149534#149534 which shows MSTR in use today on British Airways booking system.

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    "the title does not appear on actual passport document, to avoid confusion I guess": HM Passport office only prints professional or honorary titles such as Doctor or Professor or Sir in the passport (in full, not abbreviated), and only on the Official Observations page. Otherwise the title is omitted. If a person has a title and does not use his name (e.g., the Duke of Argyll), then only the title is printed.
    – Calchas
    Apr 21, 2016 at 13:39
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    If applying this to America, you should include our rules for using period after abbreviated words; the British do not include them in words where the end letter is included: Mstr. Inf. Miss (it is not short for mistress, just derived from it).
    – sas08
    May 6, 2019 at 6:00
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    MSTR seems preferable to the 'M' abbreviation of the AHD cited in another answer
    – Arm the good guys in America
    Nov 14, 2019 at 5:20
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I'd suggest, M. (to be distinguished from M, which stands for Monsieur)

Master

Abbr. M.

a. Used formerly as a title for a man holding a naval office ranking next below a lieutenant on a warship.

b. Used as a title for a man who serves as the head or presiding officer of certain societies, clubs, orders, or institutions.

c. Used as a title for any of various male officers having specified duties concerning the management of the British royal household.

d. Used as a courtesy title before the given or full name of a boy not considered old enough to be addressed as Mister.

e. Archaic Used as a form of address for a man; mister.

American Heritage® Dictionary

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Assuming you're not referring to an academic "Master" of some sort, but rather the honorific you might apply to a child before they turn 18 and gain the Mr. or Miss/Ms./Mrs. title, Master should be used in its entirety without abbreviation.

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    This is a comment (with which I agree) but not an answer to the question.
    – Mazura
    Apr 21, 2016 at 1:09
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    @Mazura How is it not an answer? The OP asks for an abbreviation, and this answer says there isn't one. That's a perfectly acceptable answer.
    – Mitch
    Apr 22, 2016 at 16:10
  • @Mitch - It doesn't say there isn't one. It says you shouldn't use it; without citing a manual of style.
    – Mazura
    Apr 22, 2016 at 21:49

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