mästare

Mästare is a Swedish common noun meaning "master" or "expert". It denotes a person who has achieved a high level of skill, authority or recognition within a particular field, such as a craft, sport, trade or art. The term appears in both formal and informal contexts to indicate expertise, leadership or championship.

Historically, mästare was used within medieval guilds and craft traditions to designate a master craftsman who had completed apprenticeship and journeyman stages and who could run a workshop and take on apprentices. Related institutional practices, such as the issuance of a mästarbrev (master's certificate), preserved the term in craft and vocational systems.

In modern usage mästare appears in many compound expressions: världsmästare (world champion), svensk mästare (Swedish champion), and mästarbrev. It is also used in titles and honorifics across sports, competitions and cultural recognitions. In some professional and artistic contexts the word emphasizes demonstrated practical ability rather than academic qualification, which in Sweden is typically expressed with terms like masterexamen for university degrees.

Mästare has cognates in other Germanic languages (e.g., Danish and Norwegian mester, German Meister) and forms part of idiomatic expressions related to skill and command. As a common noun it can function both as a standalone descriptor and as an element in compound titles, reflecting its flexible role in Swedish vocabulary and cultural life.