Ustada

Ustada is a title used in Arabic-speaking and Muslim-majority communities to address or refer to a female teacher or scholar. It is the feminine form of the masculine ustād and is commonly transliterated as ustāḏah, ustāḏa, or ustada. The term derives from Arabic and is used in settings ranging from schools and universities to mosques and religious seminaries, as well as in family and community contexts where education or scholarly achievement is valued.

In Urdu, Persian, and other contexts that borrow Arabic honorifics, ustada can function as a respectful prefix before a woman’s name—analogous to Professor or Doctor in English—though the exact usage can vary by locale and institution. It is not a formal degree or rank in itself, but an honorific indicating teaching authority or scholarly status.