Mistress

Mistress can have different meanings depending on context. In consensual kink or power-exchange spaces, it may be a self-chosen title for a woman who takes a dominant role. In other contexts, the word has historically been used to describe a person involved in a private relationship outside another person's primary partnership.

Neither meaning should be assumed. A title does not reveal someone's relationship agreements, availability, or the kind of dynamic they want. When it is used in a power-exchange context, the relevant understanding comes from the people involved and their negotiated Dom/Sub dynamic.

Using someone's chosen title respectfully is different from projecting a role onto them.