misteress

Why this word is great

MISTERESS — [Noun] A male partner in an extramarital relationship; a male paramour; a kept man. Blend of 'mister' (a title for a man) + 'mistress' (a female partner in an extramarital relationship). Unlike 'gigolo' (which implies financial exchange) or 'lover' (which lacks the shadow of betrayal), 'misteress' carries the quiet weight of complicity—the unspoken understanding that his presence is both desired and denied. He is the man who arrives after dusk, leaving no trace but a faint indent on the guest room pillow; the voice on the phone that hangs up when the front door clicks open; the one who knows his name will never be spoken in daylight. To be a misteress is to exist in the negative space of another’s life.