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Mistress is one of the Honorifics some people use to describe the Dᴏᴍɪɴᴀɴᴛ partner or "Owner" in a Mistress/slave relationship.

Because it is an Honorific of the Dᴏᴍɪɴᴀɴᴛ form it is usual for it to be written with a capital letter.

It might also be used by the sᴜʙᴍɪssɪᴠᴇ partner as an Honorific term in a Dᴏᴍɪɴᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ sᴜʙᴍɪssɪᴏɴ (D/s) relationship. This can cause confusion when trying to understand BDSM terminology as both "Mᴀsᴛᴇʀ" or "Mistress" and "slave" might be used - as terms of endearment - even though neither considers themselves to be Owned nor Owner.

Some people enjoy the connotations of Servitude or submission in calling their partner "Mistress", or being called "Mistress". To others the Ritual of such a formal mode of address may be appealing. It may also be useful in building Roles in which one partner or the other may indulge in Sᴀᴅɪsᴍ or Mᴀsᴏᴄʜɪsᴍ desires, although people living as Mistress and slave are not necessarily into Sᴀᴅᴏᴍᴀsᴏᴄʜɪsᴍ.

Usage of "Mistress" in most BDSM environments does not imply any specific expertise, abilities, or formal training. To successfully maintain a Mistress/slave relationship takes abilities and skills beyond or apart from normal relationship skills.

The term "Mᴀsᴛᴇʀ" can be gender-independent but is mostly used only in reference to Dᴏᴍɪɴᴀɴᴛ males. There is otherwise no male-specific equivalent.
The female Dᴏᴍɪɴᴀɴᴛ equivalent of Mistress is "Domme" or possibly "Dominatrix".

Although the Mistress is understood to have authority over the slave in some sense, this never extends to one's legal rights and thus there must always be an implicit element of consent involved.