mäster

Mäster is a term used in Swedish with several related meanings connected to mastery and skilled workmanship. In historical contexts, it designated someone who had attained mastery in a craft or trade, effectively a master or master craftsman. The form is largely superseded in everyday language by mästare, but mäster still appears in older texts, signage, and some regional dialects, and it can function as a formal title in certain archival or guild records.

As a surname, Mäster exists as a Swedish-language family name. Surnames derived from occupations or roles were common in Scandinavia, and individuals bearing the name Mäster have been documented in genealogical sources. The name may reflect ancestral association with a craft master or leadership within a workshop.

Etymology and related terms: Mäster is cognate with the German Meister and the Norwegian mester, all ultimately derived from Germanic roots meaning “master” or “one who is skilled.” In related languages, variants such as mästare in Swedish reflect historical spelling and pronunciation changes. In modern Swedish, the standard term for a master is mästare, while mäster survives mainly in fixed expressions, historical usage, or as a proper name.

In usage, the root appears in compounds that express mastery or high status, such as mästerskap, meaning championship, where the sense of supreme skill is central. Overall, mäster today is primarily of historical or nominal interest, with contemporary usage favoring related forms.