What does “Miss” mean?

Miss is a title used before a girl’s or an unmarried woman’s name (e.g., “Miss Saint”). It shouldn’t be used for a married woman. For older unmarried women, “Ms.” (pronounced [miz]) is often used instead, since “Miss” normally has a connotation of youth.

Unlike other similar titles, “Miss” cannot be abbreviated but is written out in full.

The word “miss” (not capitalized) can also be used as a verb or noun with various meanings related to a failure to hit something or to feeling the absence of someone or something. These meanings are unrelated to its use as a title.