What does MS mean?
| Meaning | Mississippi |
|---|---|
| Category | Geography & places |
| Type | Code |
The code MS means Mississippi in US postal state abbreviations. USPS lists Mississippi as MS and Missouri as MO.
Read the field as well as the letters. A US state field, a country or territory code and a language code are different systems: MS can identify Montserrat in an ISO territory-code context, while ms identifies Malay in a language-code context. The letters in an address do not verify the street, ZIP Code or delivery status. This guide explains the state-code pair, not a complete address.
Meaning in context
- MS
- The USPS two-letter abbreviation for Mississippi.
- Mississippi
- The state name; Missouri uses MO in the same postal table.
Practical examples
Distinguish the two states
- Before
MS and MO are interchangeable abbreviations for Missouri.
- After
USPS lists MS for Mississippi and MO for Missouri.
Both letters matter in the code pair.
Keep the scheme
- Before
Any international country field containing MS must name Mississippi.
- After
Identify the code scheme first; a country or territory field can use MS differently.
A state code and a territory code occupy different namespaces.
Original illustrative examples, not quotations or reports of actual events.
Use MS with clarity
How do I avoid confusing Mississippi, Missouri and a different code system?
See all guidance
Read a US state field
Use the USPS pair.
Mississippi — MS.
Compare Missouri
Preserve MO.
Missouri — MO.
Read an international field
Check the scheme before expanding.
A country-code field is different from a US state field.
Read MS as Mississippi only in the appropriate US state-code field.
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By AcronymIndex Editorial Team · Editorial policy