magistri

Magistri is the nominative plural form of the Latin noun magister, meaning “master” or “teacher.” In classical Latin, magister referred to a person who instructed or guided others, ranging from schoolmasters and tutors to skilled practitioners or officials who served as leaders in a given field. The term was used across legal, religious, and administrative texts to denote those who possessed specialized knowledge and authority.

In medieval and early modern Europe, magistri acquired a more formal academic sense. At universities such as Bologna, Paris, and Oxford, magister became a recognized title awarded after earning the licentia docendi, the license to teach. Those who achieved this status might be titled magister artium (Master of Arts) or magister theologiae, and they formed the core of the university faculty responsible for teaching and examining students. The use of magister thus signaling professional credentialing and instructional authority.

Today, magistri persists primarily in Latin preserves within scholarly, ecclesiastical, or historical contexts rather than as a common living title. The feminine form is magistra, and plural forms include magistri (masculine or mixed groups) and magistrae (feminine). The genitive plural takes magistrorum (masculine or mixed) or magistrarum (feminine), with other case forms following standard Latin declension. As a historical term, magistri provides insight into concepts of instruction, credentialing, and authority in classical and medieval education systems.