MLS
Abbreviation with 5 meanings
| Stands for | Multiple listing service |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 5 |
| Categories | Business & Finance, Sports, Education & Academia, Geography & Places |
| Also written | Mls |
MLS has five meanings. The most common are Multiple listing service (real estate & mortgage) and Major League Soccer (sports league and organization); it can also stand for Master of Legal Studies, Master of Library Science and Mills.
Meanings of MLS at a glance
| # | MLS stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Multiple listing service | Business & Finance › Real Estate & Mortgage |
| 2 | Major League Soccer | Sports › Sports League and Organization |
| 3 | Master of Legal Studies | Education & Academia › Degree |
| 4 | Master of Library Science | Education & Academia › Degree |
| 5 | Mills | Geography & Places › Address |
1. Multiple listing service
Business & Finance · Real Estate & Mortgage Abbreviations
Shared database in which real estate brokers in a region publish properties for sale, with details, photos and showing instructions, so all participating agents can find, show and sell each other's listings. Listing data feeds most consumer home-search websites.
Example: Our house hit the MLS on Thursday and had four offers by Sunday.
Brokers began sharing listings in the late 1800s, and there are now hundreds of regional MLSs in the US, most owned by local Realtor associations. After antitrust lawsuits, a 2024 National Association of Realtors settlement barred offers of buyer-agent compensation on MLSs from August 17, 2024 and required written agreements with buyers. In Canada, MLS is a trademark of the Canadian Real Estate Association.
2. Major League Soccer
Sports · Sports League and Organization Abbreviations
Top-division men's professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Clubs are split into Eastern and Western Conferences, there is no promotion or relegation, and the season runs from late February to the MLS Cup final in December.
Example: Lionel Messi's move to Inter Miami in 2023 sent MLS ticket prices soaring across the league.
Founded in 1993 as part of the deal for the US to host the 1994 World Cup, MLS played its first season in 1996 with 10 teams. It is run as a single entity in which the league, not the clubs, holds player contracts. The Designated Player rule of 2007, often called the "Beckham rule," lets clubs exceed the salary cap for star signings. San Diego FC became the 30th club in 2025.
3. Master of Legal Studies
Education & Academia · Degree Abbreviations
Graduate degree for professionals who are not lawyers, such as compliance officers, human resources managers and health administrators, who need a working knowledge of law. It usually takes one year full time and does not qualify graduates to sit for the bar exam.
Example: Our compliance director earned an online MLS focused on health care regulation.
Some schools call the same degree the Master of Jurisprudence (MJ), Juris Master (JM) or Master of Studies in Law (MSL). Context usually separates it from the Master of Library Science: legal studies degrees are offered by law schools, library degrees by information schools.
4. Master of Library Science
Education & Academia · Degree Abbreviations
Older and still common name for the ALA-accredited library degree that most US and Canadian professional librarian positions require. Indiana University and Queens College are among the schools that still award the MLS title.
Example: She earned her MLS from Queens College and became a children's librarian in Brooklyn.
Written M.L.S. The newer title MLIS reflects the field's expansion into information science and technology, but employers treat the two as equal when ALA-accredited. Do not confuse it with the Master of Legal Studies or with medical laboratory science.
5. Mills (Mls)
Geography & Places · Address Abbreviations
Recalls the water-powered mills that shaped early towns in New England and the Mid-Atlantic. USPS abbreviates Mills as MLS and Mill as ML.
Example: The antique shop is at 4 Old Mls Rd.
MLS also means Major League Soccer and a real estate multiple listing service.
Related abbreviations
More real estate & mortgage abbreviations
- LVP – Luxury vinyl plank
- MBR – Master bedroom
- MIP – Mortgage insurance premium
- MLO – Mortgage loan originator
- NMLS – Nationwide Multistate Licensing System
- NN – Double net lease
- NNN – Triple net lease
- NOD – Notice of default
See all 95 real estate & mortgage abbreviations →
More sports league and organization abbreviations
- LPGA – Ladies Professional Golf Association
- MiLB – Minor League Baseball
- MLB – Major League Baseball
- MLBPA – Major League Baseball Players Association
- NAIA – National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
- NASCAR – National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing
- NBA – National Basketball Association
- NBL – National Basketball League (Australia)