An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Meister
Meister, masculine, ‘master, chief, leader,’ from Middle High German meister, masculine, ‘learned poet, meister-sänger (poets who were members of guilds), mayor, burgomaster,’ Old High German meistar; Old Saxon mêstar, Dutch meester, Anglo-Saxon mœgster. Borrowed from Latin magister, which in Middle Latin was applied to numerous offices. Compare further Italian maestro, French maître, English master, mister.