From Middle English maister, mayster, meister and maistren, from Old English mǣster, mæġster, mæġester, mæġister, magister, from Latin magister, from Old Latin magester, from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s, (as in magnus) + -ester/-ister (compare minister). Reinforced by Old French maistre, mestre and maistriier, maister from the same Latin source. Compare also Saterland Frisian Mäster, West Frisian master, Dutch meester, German Meister. maestro, and magister.