Query on the term *mistri*

[Jan Filipsky]

Jo Kirkpatrick wrote:
>
>What I hope to find out is how the word came into Indian languages, and
>from which probable language source (colonial, e.g. English, Portuguese,
>French? or.....?)
>JK
George Clifford Whitworth´s "An Anglo-Indian Dictionary", Kegan Paul, Trench
& Co., London 1885, reprinted by IDS, Gurgaon/New Delhi 1976 gives the
following definition (p. 207, s.v. Mistry):
"Mistry. [A corruption of mister, or of the French maistre.] A head smith or
head armourer, or head workman of any kind. The word is also used among
Europeans and their servants to designate the cook."
My pennorth. Regards,
Jan Filipsky